


Unseen Moments

by Singerme



Category: Gunsmoke
Genre: F/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-06
Updated: 2015-07-01
Packaged: 2018-04-03 02:26:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 28
Words: 26,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4083133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Singerme/pseuds/Singerme
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ever wonder about those moments that weren't shown on TV?  Me too.  <br/>These won't be in series order and I doubt I will have one for every episode but there looks to be a few of them anyway.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Belle's Back

From Belle's Back – Season 5

I don't own these characters. I just like to spend time with them. No other profit to be had.

**MmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmM**

This one is for Season 5's Belle's Back. I always wondered about that look Belle gave Kitty when she came into the saloon and the way Kitty reacted to her. Just my idea of why.

**MmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmM**

"He didn't keep her tied and gagged for three years." Kitty said with a sniff.

"No, no he didn't." Matt agreed as he reclaimed his seat next to her, having just watched Belle Ainsly leave the saloon. "But maybe he should have. Want to tell me what that was about?"

"What's 'what' about?" Kitty asked..

"That little silent exchange between you and Belle." Matt replied as he picked up his coffee cup. "I was watching her, Kitty. She was tossing some of what she said at you."

Kitty bit her bottom lip for a moment before looking over at Matt and nodding. "Yeah, she was, Matt." Kitty answered. "When she came back that first time, three months after Jess Cryder took her out of here, she came to me, looking for a job."

"She did?" Matt was surprised. "Well, I never heard about that. I know you didn't give her one."

"No, no, I didn't." Kitty took a sip of her own coffee. "I told her she was a problem I didn't need."

"What'd she say to that?"

"Oh, she had a few choice words to say and she turned and left." Kitty took another sip of her coffee, avoiding Matt's curious gaze.

"What words, Kitty." He knew when she was avoiding telling him something.

"Nothing important." Kitty answered "Anyway, it's over and it has nothing to do with now."

"What words, Kitty?" Matt asked again.

"It's not important, Matt." Kitty made to get up but Matt reached over and took her hand, stopping her from leaving before she told him everything.

"What words?"

Dropping her head, Kitty let out a gust of air before raising her eyes to Matt's. "She said I was being judgmental and worse than the so called proper people in town, seeing as how I was nothing more than a…" Kitty paused knowing how Matt felt about that word. "Anyway, let's just say that she wasn't too happy that I wouldn't hire her."

"Why that little…" Matt seethed. "What nerve to say that about you when she…"

"Matt, it doesn't matter. Okay?" Kitty reached over and placed a hand on his. "Belle Ainsly was an angry girl who needed someone to take that anger out on and I just happened to be there at the right time."

"That doesn't matter, Kitty." Matt shook his head. "She had no right to do that. She..."

"She was angry, Matt." Kitty said sternly. "Angry people say things they might not say otherwise. It's not important."

"Well, it is to me." He grumped.

Kitty shook her head. She knew Matt hated it when people called her names, especially people like Belle Ainsley. But she and he both knew they couldn't prevent it. People were going to say and do what they would. The important thing was not to allow it to get to you, like Matt was now.

"Matt." Kitty sighed as she reached over and placed her hand on his arm. "How about we forget Belle Ainsly and think about something more pleasant." She smiled.

"Like what?" He looked over with a half smile in response to hers.

"Oh, I don't know." She arched a brow. "Maybe what we're gonna do later, after hours.

Matt shook his head with a chuckle. "Kitty, you are a mess."

"That's not what you said last night." She replied with an impish grin.

Matt laughed out loud at that one. "And it won't be what I say tonight."

End


	2. From the Season 5 episode Old Flame

**Missing Scenes - Old Flame, Season 5**

AN: I just wanted to point out that this is only one writer's humble view of what might have happened after the camera was turned off. As Nevada Rose pointed out, there are other views. If anyone has any other idea of what might have happened, I'd love to read them. THANKS.

Also this one is for CBloomer.

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

Dolly slid over in the seat closer to Matt as they drove down the road, heading to a small farm just south of Dodge. Matt had promised her he'd help her find Rad Meadows and so far he'd been doing everything he promised. But she didn't feel it'd hurt anything to sort of grease the skids some.

"You know, Matt." She purred as she wrapped both of her arms around his. "I really don't know how to tell you how grateful I am that you're doing all of this for me. I know you're a busy man and all but to do this for me…"

"Look, Dolly." Matt wriggled his arm trying to shake her loose. "I am doing this out of friendship. Please don't read anything more into it."

"Oh, I know." She relinquished her hold on his arm, but didn't move away. "I understand that, Matt. But still, it's so nice to know that, after all these years, you still care about me enough to help. That you haven't forgotten what we used to mean to each other."

Matt didn't reply to that. He wasn't sure just yet how he felt about Dolly Winters. He remembered the girl she used to be and the feelings he'd had for her then, but he wasn't sure those feelings still existed or even if that girl still existed in the woman that she was now.

Another mile went by and when Dolly realized Matt wasn't going to comment, she decided to push things a little further. Nothing was as important to her than making Rad Meadows pay for humiliating her and that included Matt Dillon. And if she needed to prod him a little more, to get him to kill Rad, then she would do it.

"You know, Matt." She moved a little closer, resting her hand on his thigh. "I was thinking, maybe when we get back to town, we could perhaps have supper in my room and…"

"No." Matt answered before she could finish. Pulling on the reins, Matt brought the buggy to a stop and turned fully to Dolly. "Listen, Dolly. I meant what I said. I am helping you out because of what we used to mean to each other, but nothing more. Whatever was between us isn't there any longer. Do you understand what I mean?"

"I understand." Dolly sighed. "And I know it's been several years and I know that each of us has aged and all but that doesn't mean that we couldn't perhaps start all over again, does it? I mean perhaps we might be able to rekindle…"

"NO." Matt answered again, a little sternly but still with kindness in his voice. "I'm sorry, Dolly but we can't."

"Is there someone else?" She asked with a seemingly innocent air. "I do seem to recall someone mentioning that you were close to a woman at one of the saloons in town. Although, I can't really see you with someone like that, I guess I'd understand if you were already promised to her or something."

Matt sighed. "Dolly, please. Just accept that I do not wish to rekindle anything between us. Okay? Now, I made you a promise and I will keep that, but nothing more. And when we find this Rad Meadows that will be the end of it. Okay?"

"Alright, Matt." Dolly nodded as she moved away from him. "I promise, as soon as you find Rad, I'll leave you alone."

"Thank you, Dolly." Matt smiled down at her, certain he'd made her understand that he had no interest in her without dragging Kitty into it.

As Matt snapped the reins on the buggy, Dolly sat back and watched him. He'd not confirmed her suspicions about another woman or even mentioned one but by the look on his face, she could tell there was one and she must be someone special. Though there were several years between what they'd had and now, she could still read him well enough to see that.

'Well,' she told herself. 'Maybe when we find Rad and I have Matt kill him for me, maybe then I can see about getting Matt away from her.'

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

"Well, I don't think there's anything personal there." Chester somewhat skillfully avoided looking at her for a second. "It's just that, well, they've known each other since they was kids practically and what with her losing the money and her husband and being so scared and all, well, naturally she's gonna come to him for help."

Kitty considered his words as she watched Matt leave the saloon after making the bet with her on Dolly. There was a chance that Chester was right, but she doubted sincerely that Dolly Winters was as good as Matt and even Chester supposed her to be. But it hadn't taken her long to see that Matt wouldn't believe it until Dolly proved it to him.

"We'll I don't think that you got a thing to worry about." Chester had also said. That was where she knew Chester was wrong. There was plenty for her to be worried about. Even if Dolly managed to do no harm to her and Matt's relationship, there was still the awfully big possibility that Matt could be hurt by someone he thought of as a friend. And that worried her most of all.

But as she finished her beer and then got back to her feet, she decided that if Dolly Winters did hurt Matt, he wouldn't be the only one. Dolly Winters hadn't yet met Kitty Russell, but she would.

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

Kitty had just sat down at a table with the whiskey and beer drummer when Matt walked into the saloon. Nodding at him, she told the drummer what she needed and asked him to prepare the order for her while she spoke to the Marshal.  
"Matt?" She questioned as he walked in, hat in hand. "Is something wrong?" He didn't look happy at all.

"Is that the whiskey drummer?" He asked in reply.

"Yes. Why?"

Instead of answering her directly, Matt walked over to the man and leaned down, talking quietly to him and placing some money on the table. When the man nodded and scribbled something on his order pad, Matt turned, noticing Kitty's curious expression. "I was just paying off on a bet." He smiled sadly at her. "You were right about Dolly, Kitty."

"Oh, Matt." She shook her head. "I'm sorry. I was actually hoping I was wrong."

"I know." Matt nodded. "But you weren't. I guess that'll teach me to pay attention to you more often."

Kitty smiled up at him. "I've been telling you that for a while now, Cowboy. It's about time you started to listen."

Matt returned the smile. "How about you tell me more about it tonight over a beer."

"Un huh." She shook her head. "We're running low on beer. Besides, I have something better than that."

Matt laughed outright. "You sure do."

End


	3. From the Season 6 Episode Old Faces

**Unshown Moments for Old Faces – Season 6**

This is for Lostcowgirl.

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

"Sam, go get the Marshal, quick." Kitty ordered of her newly hired bartender. She didn't know the man that well yet but she could already tell that he was trustworthy. His quick "yes, Ma'am" and his immediately move to obey, even though he hadn't even started yet, was proof of that.

As Sam took off to find Matt, Kitty stood back and listened intently, hoping there wouldn't be blood-shed in her place that day. At first, when Tom Cook told Ed Ivers that he didn't want to fight as he found out the truth about his wife, Kitty breathed a sigh of relief, despite Tom's apparent attitude concerning his wife Tilda. At least he'd live long enough to figure out how to deal with it.

But that hope was quickly dashed as Ed Ivers and his partner started goading Tom and playing on his obvious anger at Tilda's deception. Looking at the expression on Tom's face, Kitty could tell they were getting to him and she decided it wouldn't be too bad an idea if she were to step behind the bar where the shotgun was concealed.

She had no sooner grabbed the weapon when things went horribly wrong and Tom squared off with Ivers, ultimately being the slower to the draw. Kitty hesitated a second when Tom went down with a bullet in his right shoulder, but that hesitation ended when she saw Ivers draw down a second time on the wounded man, knowing he was planning on firing again.

Without any further hesitation, she pointed the shotgun straight up, firing one of the barrels into the ceiling, heedless of the damage done, then pointed it straight at Ivers' chest. "Drop it, Ivers. That one went into the ceiling." She said stone faced. "The next one will blow your head off."

Kitty could tell she'd surprised the man and even unnerved him a little but he wasn't quite ready to give up when he threatened to put a bullet in her before she could pull the trigger. "You wouldn't even get to the door alive." She boasted. She'd just seen Matt at the doors.

"Who says I wouldn't?" Ivers asked. The woman was entirely too confident with that shotgun for his taste.

"I do." Matt answered as he pushed his way into the saloon, gun drawn. "Hold it right there. Put the gun up."

Reluctantly, Ivers obeyed and then tried to argue, not understanding why Matt would take Tom's side in the situation. He could tell his argument was falling on deaf ears.

After having Pete and Mike take Tom up to Doc's and sending Ivers and his partner scurrying away like the rats they were, Matt quickly made it over to the end of the bar where Kitty was shakily placing the shot gun on the countertop.

"Kitty, you did just fine." He smiled proudly at her. "How do you feel?"

"I… I'm alright." Kitty answered, though the slight trembling in her voice betrayed her.

"Fred, I think Miss Kitty here could use a drink." Matt nodded to the bartender.

After Fred had handed her a glass and left, Matt watched intently until Kitty had taken a couple of fortifying swallows of the amber liquid. 'That better?" He asked softly.

"Yeah." Kitty nodded. "I… I just…" She stopped trying to collect her thoughts. "I'm just glad you got here when you did. I don't know what I would've…"

"You handled it well, Kitty." Matt reached out and took her hand. "I'm proud of you."

Kitty swallowed the last of her whiskey and glanced around the now empty saloon. "I appreciate that, Matt, but I wasn't out to make you proud. I just didn't want to see that boy killed. I think I've had enough shootings in here for a while."

Involuntarily, her mind went back a few months to when she herself was shot right there in the bar room by a drunken thief with poor aim. She'd survived Bayloe's bullet and just hoped that Tom Cook would survive Ivers.

"I know, Kitty." Matt answered. He too remembered that horrible day. "But you handled that as good as anyone could. I meant what I said, I'm proud of you."

Kitty nodded then looked towards the doors, seeing Pete and Mike returning after taking Tom to Doc's office. "You think Tom will be alright?" She asked as she returned her troubled gaze to him.

"I know he will." Matt answered. "His guardian angel made sure of it."

Kitty tilted her head at his wording. "That how you see me?"

"Un, huh." Matt grinned. "You protected that boy just like you've protected me several times."

Kitty frowned. "Like I've protected you?"

"Un huh." Matt nodded seriously. "I can't count the number of times you've protected me from eating alone and drinking alone and…"

Kitty smiled finally and even laughed. "My, oh my, I have been good haven't I?"

"You sure have." Matt agreed. "Good for me anyway."

Kitty took another slow look aaround the saloon and then leaned in close so that her words could only be heard by him. "Well, I'll tell ya what, Cowboy. If you were to make it back here tonight, say after closing time, I just might manage to protect you from spending the night alone."

Matt grinned widely and stood back from the bar. "I've got to go make sure Ivers doesn't come back to town for a while." He told her. "But I'll be back, just about at closing time. I'll be here."

Kitty smiled happily as Matt tipped his hat to her and left the saloon while she replaced the shotgun under the bar. "You do that Marshal." She whispered. "And I'll make sure to protect you from all kinds of boredom tonight."

End


	4. From the Season 1 Episode Tap Day for Kitty

**Unshown Moments for Tap Day for Kitty - Season 1**

**This one is for EvitaScarlett**

."There are plenty of other women in Dodge that wear shoes, you know?" Kitty was furious.

"Kitty, go on back to my office and wait for me, will ya?" Matt knew she was upset and he was hoping to calm her down.

"Matt are you going to make me say it? Do you want me to say that I didn't do it? Well, I'm not going to say it. You'll just have to believe me."

Although Matt hadn't said he didn't have faith in her innoncence and he did promised to try and prove that she wasn't guilty, it didn't matter. She didn't trust that he accepted her word on the matter.

As she marched over to the jail, her cheeks flamed from embarrassment and anger. How on earth could he think of guilty of something like this? Sure, she'd threatened Nip Cullers. Any woman would threaten an old coot who promised to force her into marriage. But threatening and doing were two separate things. Didn't he know that?

When she reached the office, she found it unlocked but empty. Walking in, she stepped over to the stove and tested the pot. It was hot. Though she wasn't a fan of Chester's coffee, she hoped it's sometimes acrid taste would distract her enough from her fury so that she could look at this situation objectively and figure out a solution.

But the coffee was actually too bad to drink and it did little to soothe her frayed nerves and inflamed temperament.

"How?" She threw her hands up as she took a seat behind Matt's desk, in his chair. "How could he believe that of me? I… I…"

Kitty was not a crier by nature, not someone who broke down and sobbed at the least little thing. But this wasn't something little, it was something big. The man who'd taken her heart, and who she trusted more than anyone, didn't trust her. He believed her guilty of shooting someone in the back. The fact that Nip Cullers deserved it didn't make a difference.

Placing the coffee on his desk, Kitty buried her head in her hands and succumbed to the tears that so harshly stung her eyes. For several moments, Kitty allowed herself the luxury of wallowing in self-pity and grief as what she saw as her loss and Matt's betrayal. If Matt didn't trust her, if he thought her capable of this, then she saw very little future with him.

For several minutes, Kitty simply sat and cried. But finally a realization settled in on her that tears were useless as was her just sitting there and waiting for him to come and lock her in a cell. If Matt Dillon wanted to arrest her, he could find her in the Long Branch.

Having decided that, Kitty quickly dashed away her remaining tears and checked her appearance in the small mirror tacked up to the wall behind the door. Her eyes were slightly red but a little water would cure that. Otherwise, she was sure there would be no sign of her earlier weakness, which is how she regarded tears.

"I didn't shoot anyone." Kitty said to her reflection as she corrected a slight problem with her makeup. "And Matt Dillon can go take a flying…"

"Miss Kitty?" Chester appeared at the door just then. "Mr. Dillon sent me to come and get you."

"Why?" She demanded tersely. "He afraid I'll escape?"

"Escape?" Chester frowned. "Oh, Heaven's no. Why, you ain't under arrest or nothing. No, Mr. Dillon thinks he knows who shot that Cullers feller and he wants you to there when he finds out for sure."

Kitty returned Chester's frown. "He… he thinks… You mean to tell me he doesn't believe I did it?"

"Why, of course not. Goodness, he never really thought you was guilty." Chester answered. "He just couldn't prove it yet is all. But he thinks he can now and he wants you there."

With a relieved smile, Kitty nodded and followed Chester from the jail and over to Doc's office. 'I owe Matt an apology and maybe more.' She told herself as they climbed the stairs and went in to see just who had shot the old rancher.

End


	5. From the Season 18 episode, Quiet Day in Dodge

**Unshown Moments for Quiet Day In Dodge – S 18**

AN: Archibald L. Williams really was the Attorney General for Kansas from 9 Jan 1871 to 11 Jan 1875

**This is for MissLizzyJ**

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

Edsel Pry, nose in the clouds and fury on her brow, marched past the still laughing populace of Dodge City after being freed from the safe that that awful little hooligan had shoved her into. Her pride was hurt as well as her backside and she had every intention of writing to Archie when she got home and telling him what that so-called Marshal was doing. Or at least, what he wasn't doing.

And what he wasn't doing was protecting the decent citizens of Dodge from riff raff like that child and the environs of the various saloons in town. Of course, as she thought about it, she knew he did usually keep the peace in town, when he was in town. But he still didn't do anything about the saloons, or at least one of them.

He and Kitty Russell had a long standing, although quiet, relationship and she was certain he would do nothing about that woman and her trade. And that thought irritated her to no end. Why, the woman was shameless. Walking around town with that bright red hair and no bonnet and all that face paint on. She should be ashamed of herself and hide herself away.

The more Edsel thought about it, the more irritated she became and by the time she reached her modest home she had worked herself into a fair frenzy of emotion. How dare US Marshal Matt Dillon slight people of her stature for a common trollop such as Kitty Russell.

It was plain that the woman obviously had no sense of decorum and decency. If she did, she would demand that Matt Dillon marry her instead carrying on an illicit affair and mistakenly believing that no one would know. Ha! She should know that something like that couldn't be kept a secret, especially not in a place like Dodge. Everyone knew that the Marshal and the saloon woman were involved with each other.

Hastily unlocking the door and entering, she made her way to the roll top desk in the corner of her living room, then removed her cape and hat and sat down, pulling out several sheets of paper and a pencil.

For several minutes, her pencil was held aloft over the paper as she decided how best to approach the subject she wished to address. She didn't want to just go charging in with her concerns and anger, especially now, after so much time had passed since she'd seen and heard from her dear friend Archie. Perhaps it was best to start out cheerfully, reminding him of their distant yet still vital friendship and then she could explain what really worried her.

Licking the tip of the pencil, she put her head down and began.

**_Dear Archibald_ ,**

She started but then she scratched that out. There was more between her and Archie than mere courtesy and to address him by anything formal would seem wrong.

_**Dear Archie,** _

_**How are you? I know it has been sometime since I last wrote but it has been busy here for me. With meetings for the church and the Ladies' Aid Society and my many other civic functions, as well as my culinary efforts in pie making, I scarce have time to do more than jot quick notes to the grocer and such. But I never want you to think that I have forgotten you or that I didn't think daily of you and our friendship.** _

_**As I sit here, pen in hand, I remember the many times that you and I** _

Edsel's pencil stilled as her mind returned to years prior when she was yet a young woman in love with a dashing blonde haired man who took her breath away each time he'd turn a dimpled smile in her direction. Oh, the times they'd had together. Smiling at the memories, Edsel resumed her writing.

_**spent together with great fondness. We truly shared, and hopefully still do share, a unique bond like no other.** _

Again, Edsel paused and a soft smile lit her face as she remembered his whirling her around at a county barn dance, his blue eyes taking in her form and offering her sweetness beyond anything she'd ever known before. As reminiscences raced through her mind, her hand seemed to have a mind of its own and she began to write in earnest.

_**Often I am reminded of the moments of utter bliss that we enjoyed, just the two of us. Moments spent, not in work or conversation but in learning to please each other in so many intimate ways. You and I shared a glorious love and so many passionate nights in each other's arms. I truly wish that I could go back to when we were young and free, unencumbered by age and responsibilities too numerous to count.** _

_**Do you remember that rainy night when we were stuck in that tiny little cabin and we** _

Edsel stopped writing, as memories of that night washed over her and she remembered the feel of him as he lay next to her, touching her in places no other man ever had or ever would. She remembered his kisses which had started out on her begging lips and then had moved down to her neck and then shoulders. She remembered his hands as they moved restlessly over body, pinching and caressing and making her plead with him for more.

 _ **Oh, Archie.**_ She started writing again.

_**How I wish that that you were here with me and that once again we could** _

Suddenly, Edsel stopped as she realized what she'd written. Cheeks furiously red in embarrassment, she quickly crumpled the paper and threw it into the fireplace, lighting a match and burning it up. If anyone had ever seen that…

As she watched the paper disappear into ash, she was reminded of her original reason for the letter and what she'd really been meaning to tell him. But now, she knew she couldn't. How on earth could she condemn Matt Dillon and Kitty Russell for sharing something as rare and unique as she herself had shared with Archie.

She might not always agree with the way the Marshal did his job or the type of clientele that Kitty Russell entertained at her business each night, but she now realized she couldn't blame them for stealing what moments of happiness they could anytime they could. Hadn't she and Archie done the same?

Taking a deep breath, Edsel returned to her desk and reclaimed her seat. Picking up the pencil, she hesitated only for a moment before she again began to write.

_**Dear Archibald,** _

_**I just wanted to write and say hello. Hope all is well with you and your dear wife, Ethel, and that life in the attorney general's office is all that you wished.** _

_**I also wanted to write to you about the man that administers the law here in Dodge City. Matt Dillon is** _

Edsel paused only for a second and bent again to her task with a smile.

_**one of the most conscientious and effective lawmen in this part of the country. If ever you should have the opportunity to pass his name along in praise you should definitely do so. And should you know anyone who might be passing through this area and would like a lively libation and some wonderful company, I know a business here in town that would fit the bill perfectly.** _

_**Well, I do not wish to keep you any longer. Say hello to Ethel for me and please take care of yourself.** _

_**Yours Truly,** _

_**Edsel Pry.** _

End


	6. From the Season 16 episode, Sam McTavish MD

**Unshown Moments for Sam McTavish M.D. – Season 16**

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

Doc stood by the grave for a good long time. He didn't want to go, truthfully. He didn't want to leave her there. But the wind was beginning to pick up and it looked like it was about to rain. Besides, there was nothing more he could do for her.

"Doc?" Kitty moved to his side. "Weathers changing. We ought to go now." She and Matt had been standing back, allowing him some time at the graveside of the woman he'd fallen in love with and lost too soon.

Doc nodded absently but didn't speak. He wasn't sure he could. Finally tugging his hat on, bringing the brim low over his forehead, Doc turned and left Sam's grave, heading back down to his buggy. Uncharacteristically, he didn't extend an arm to Kitty or even wait for her.

But she understood.

"He gonna be alright?" Matt whispered as she returned to his side and they both watched Doc climb into his buggy and drive away.

"He will eventually." Kitty sighed. "But it won't be easy. He really did love her, ya know."

Matt nodded. He did know. Glancing over at Kitty, he wondered how Doc was still functioning. He wasn't sure he'd be able to if something were to happen to Kitty like that.

As Doc left the cemetery, he automatically started back for Dodge, for his office and his patients. But he couldn't bring himself to go back to work. Not just yet. Usually he took solace from the horribleness of his chosen profession by burying himself in more work.

The death of an elderly patient was sad but was offset by the birth of a healthy new baby. The sudden and senseless death of a man or woman on the frontier was made a little less tragic when he was able to save the life of some other pioneer or a child who could grow up to make the world a better place.

But he didn't think that would work as a balm in this instance, as it was work that killed the woman he loved.

From the moment he'd met the fiery and dedicated physician, she'd both irritated and intrigued him completely. He had been so positive that a woman had no business being a doctor that he'd almost sent her packing before she could prove to him that he was wrong. He was now both pleased and chagrined that she'd pushed past his bigotry towards women doctors and showed him a woman could do the job as well as a man.

Flicking the reins, Doc made a decision as he drove. Quickly steering the buggy to the north, Doc made his way to Spring Creek, to what he'd thought was his private fishing spot. But it hadn't been private and it was there that Festus had brought Sam and there that she'd caught his catfish and truth be known, his heart as well.

When Doc finally did return to Dodge, it was with a certain amount of agreement with reality. Sam was gone. He wouldn't be able to bring her back and he would always mourn her loss. But he had to go on. Deciding that perhaps burying himself in work wasn't such a bad idea after all, Doc did just that.

For three days following her funeral, the old physician traveled for miles, seeing one patient after another, talking to very few and saying nothing to the people in town who cared the most for him. He had to deal with his own pain before he could help them deal with theirs and allow them to help him.

It took a lot of soul searching and prayer and silent tears, but finally Doc got through the worst of it. There would always be a part of him that ached for the lovely woman that had claimed his heart. And he would never forget her. But like the young girl, Ellen, that he had loved as a young man; Doc had found a way to accept her death and make peace with it.

As he drove down the darkened street, he didn't see the people who loved him watching anxiously as he climbed from his buggy and headed for his stairs. He only saw Sam's shingle, which still hung beneath his. Pulling it down, he took it up to his office and laid it down. Remembering the brandy, Sam had given him; Doc pulled it out and poured some into a glass.

"Sam McTavish, M.D." He read her beloved name from the plaque. "You bet." He nodded in partial agreement to its message. But she was more than a medical doctor to him. She was the woman that he would always forever love and hold in his heart until one day, he could see her again.

End.


	7. From the Season 7 episode The Widow

**Unshown Moment for The Widow – S7**

**This is for LeighAnn**

"I can't believe the nerve of that…" Kitty shook her head, seething as she thought about the smelly man that accosted her on the street as well as knocked her into the water trough. "Ohhhh, that… If Matt hadn't shown up…"

"That man would be dead, most likely." Doc picked up. "You had him pretty well bested there, Kitty. How'd you learn to use a whip like that?"

Kitty grinned briefly. "A girl's gotta have some secrets, Doc." When she saw his expression she relented. "Actually, I wasn't paying attention to what I had. I was just so mad at him punching you and then causing me to fall in that trough that I just grabbed the first thing I came upon and started hitting him with it."

"Well, you certainly did a good job of teaching him a lesson or two. Remind me never to make you that mad at me."

"Oh, I will." Kitty laughed as they entered the saloon, ignoring the stares of patrons and employees alike. "Sam," Kitty called. "Give Doc here a drink on the house."

"You okay, Miss Kitty?" Sam asked taking in her sodden, bedraggled appearance.

"I'm fine, Sam. I'm going to go change my clothes." She answered, turning for the stairs. "I'll want a drink myself when I get back down."

"Yes, Ma'am." Sam frowned over at Doc. "What happened to her, Doc?"

Doc took a swipe of his mustache and a gentle trace of his sore jaw as he watched Kitty climb the stairs to her room. "What always happens when a man puts his hands on Kitty and she doesn't want him to." Doc glanced over at Sam with a smirk. "Kitty taught him not to."

Later on, when Kitty reappeared, clean and dry and her hair fixed, Doc was still there, waiting for her with a drink as he'd promised. "You feel better now?"

Kitty nodded. "I do. How about you? How's your jaw?"

"Its fine." Doc answered. "Little sore, but I've been hurt worse."

"Yeah, well, you shouldn't have been hurt at all." She shook her head in irritation as she thought about it. "That man shouldn't be allowed to walk the streets, much less go around accosting women and punching doctors."

"Well, I know, but it could've been worse." He shrugged.

"How?" Kitty questioned.

"I could've been out there alone without you to defend me." Doc quipped with a chuckle.

Kitty shook her head as she took a drink of her whiskey. "I'll always defend you when I can, Doc. You know that."

Doc sobered as he nodded. "I know, honey. And I you. I guess we're just meant to be friends, huh?"

Kitty smiled over at him. "I think you know; you're more than a friend to me, Doc. You and Matt, you're my family."

Doc reached over and patted her hand as he got to his feet. "I do know that, Kitty. I do know that and I'm awful grateful."

Kitty sat watching him as he shuffled out of the saloon. Doc was more a father to her than she'd ever known and if she had to take a whip to every smelly buffalo hunter in Ford County to defend him, she would. She just hoped that the next time, there weren't any troughs around for her to fall into.

End


	8. Scott Free

**Unshown Moment for Scott Free – Season 9**

**This is for TennBlueBelle**

"Hey, did I ever tell you what I think about men?" Kitty eyed the tall man at her side.

"Yeah," Matt nodded with a grin.

"Well, I still do." Kitty arched a brow at him as he left the saloon.

Walking out onto the boardwalk, Matt thought about what she meant. She didn't think all men were heels and louts like Rob Scott but she was pretty certain that most were. Thinking about it, he guessed he didn't blame her.

From a father who abandoned her as a baby, then showed back up years later to swindle her, to her first love who'd used her and promised her many things he'd never delivered. To so many others who'd thought of her as nothing more than a tool to satisfy whatever need they had at the moment, she'd certainly seen the worst of men.

Shaking his head, Matt decided to see to it, she'd see some of the best when he returned later that night.

Kitty and Sam had just finished cleaning up when Matt appeared at the half closed doors of the saloon. "You two finished for the night?"

"Sure are, Marshal." Sam nodded.

"Sam, you go on home." Kitty smiled at her friend and employee. " The Marshal and I are going to have a nightcap before I go up. I'll lock up here."

"Well, alright then." Sam nodded at her as he grabbed his brown jacket and hat and headed out. "See ya tomorrow, Miss Kitty. Marshal."

"Night, Sam." Matt nodded at him as left, waiting until the door was closed behind him before turning back to Kitty who was behind the bar, pouring a drink. "Thank you, Kitty." He smiled as he picked up the glass. "Here's looking at you."

Kitty grinned as she took a drink of hers. "Did you find Rob Scott?" She asked when Matt put his glass down.

"No, no, I didn't." Matt shook his head. "He's around here somewhere but so far I haven't been able to figure out where."

Kitty's smile disappeared as she thought about Millie Scott and her six boys. "That man oughta be horse whipped. Leaving his wife and kids to fend for themselves while he…"

"I know, Kitty." Matt reached over and took her hand. "He's not much of a man but truth is, he's not much different than a lot of men around here."

"Yeah, I know." Kitty agreed.

"Gert told me he made a play for you." Matt watched her face and got the reaction he expected and actually wanted.

"Yeah, he bought me a drink once, which I refused to drink, the jerk. Did I ever tell you what…"

"Yes, you did." Matt stopped her with a wave of his hand as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small cloth bag, handing it to her. "And I was hoping I could change your mind."

Curious, Kitty took the bag and opened it up to find a slender gold chain and a heart shaped pendant. "Oh, my…" Kitty looked up at lovingly. "Matt, when did… why…"

"I know what you think about men, Kitty." He stepped around behind her, took the necklace and slipped it around her neck. "But I don't want you to think that about me. I know I've not always done what I could've for you, or even what I should've, but I don't want you to think that I don't care or lump me in with the likes of Rob Scott. I care about you, Kitty."

"Oh, Matt." She blinked back a tear at his thoughtfulness as she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him close. "I could never think of you like that. I know you're not like him."

Matt hugged her tightly as he bent his head and captured her lips in a soft sweet kiss. "Glad to hear it. Does that mean I can stay for another drink?"

Kitty chuckled at she looked up at him. "You can stay for a whole lot more than that." Taking his hand, she led him towards the stairs. "Say, did I ever tell you what I think about men?"

Frowning, Matt nodded, confused. He thought he'd just corrected that. "Yeah, why?' He asked warily.

"Because," she grinned. "I want to show you how wrong I was, at least about one man."

End


	9. Helping Hand

**Unshown Moment for Helping Hand Season 1**

"Matt?" Kitty slipped inside Doc's office just as he finished bandaging Matt's side. "You okay?" She anxiously scanned his form, noting the torn and bloody shirt.

"I'm alright." Matt answered rather stiffly as he shifted uneasily on the table. "There was no need for you to come up here."

"No need?" Kitty frowned. "I think there was. I was worried about you, Matt. When I heard that Steve Elser shot you…"

"I'm fine." Matt cut her off. "You can go on back to the Long Branch."

Doc, sensing an argument, couldn't decide if he wanted to stay and see it or step out of the line of fire. But seeing the stiff jawed Marshal and fiery eyed girl staring at each other, decided it for him. He was usually as brave as the next man but he wasn't a fool.

"Matt, you take it easy for a couple of days and you'll be just fine. Don't worry." Taking a scrub of his mustache he hurried to his door, grabbing his hat and jacket as he reached for the knob. "Kitty, good seeing you again. You two can let yourselves out." Before either one of them could comment, Doc was gone.

Kitty stared at the door for a moment and then turned her gaze back to Matt. "Okay, Doc's gone so now will you tell me why you're mad at me?"

"Who said, I was mad?" Matt asked as he got off Doc's examining table and quickly began to button his shirt back up. Kitty had seen him without his shirt on before but he didn't want her seeing him that way now. Not now.

"No one had to say you were mad." Kitty put her hands on her hips and moved a step closer. "I'm not blind. You've been pretty cold to me for a couple of days now and I want to know why."

"I've been busy for the last couple of days." Matt grunted as he put his vest on. The movement irritated his wounded side but he'd be darned if he'd admit it hurt.

"Busy? Busy doing what?" She challenged. "The only thing I've seen you do is avoiding me." She stopped as the realization hit her. "You're jealous." She declared triumphantly. "You thought I had something going for Steve Elser." Kitty couldn't control the glee in her voice as she said it.

"I'm not jealous of you or anyone else." Matt snapped at her. "It's no skin off of my nose if you want to trail around after some…" He shook his head as he thought about that boy now lying dead on a slap at Percy Crump's. Nobody would be trailing around after him.

"I didn't trail after him, Matt." Kitty said softly. "I tried to help him the same as I would anyone else."

Matt regretted his attitude as he looked at her. "I'm sorry, Kitty. I know it must be hard on you, knowing he's dead and you being so taken with him. I…"

"Taken with him?" Kitty stared at him almost dumbfounded. "Didn't you just hear me? I said I tried to help him like I would anyone. I didn't say I was taken with him."

"Well, you sure didn't deny it." Matt crossed his arms against his chest. "When I said something to you in the saloon…"

Kitty shook her head at him with a roll of her eyes. "I said I knew what you thought. I didn't say it was true." When she saw the doubt in his eyes she reached up, placing her hands on his arms. "You sure don't know much about women, do you?"

"I know when a woman's interested in a man." Matt answered with a smirk.

"Oh, really?" Kitty arched a brow. "Then why haven't you done anything about it?"

"What are you talking about?" Matt frowned. There wasn't anyone in the world that could confuse him like Kitty Russell.

"You, you idiot." She shook her head. "I've done everything in my power to let you know how I feel about you and there are times I could swear you don't even know I'm alive."

"I know you're there, Kitty." Matt sighed. "And I care about you too. I… well, it's just that…" Lord talking was hard when it came to this subject. "Well, you know how I feel about marriage and all and if you were to find someone… well, someone that could give you what you want…"

"Matt," Kitty grabbed his arm and pulled him close. "I did find someone. He's irritating and stubborn and very, very dense when it comes to women but I have a tendency to over look that. I'm trying to tell you that the only man I'm taken with, is you."

A slow grin crossed his face. "Not just as a friend?"

Kitty placed her hands on either side of his face and pulled him down to her for a soft yet very sensual kiss. "Does that feel like the kiss of a friend?" She asked when their lips parted.

"No ma'am." He grinned as he started to kiss her again. But he stopped just short of her lips. "You gonna help out anymore stray cowboys and put them in your room?"

Kitty chuckled. "Not unless they're tall and wearing a badge."

Matt smiled broadly as he wrapped an arm around her waist. "Come on, I'll buy you a beer."

"You're learning, Marshal." She giggled. "You're learning."

End


	10. Hostage Season 18 (1)

**Unshown Moment for Hostage (1) – Season 18**

**This is for KRDAMD5**

"Burke!" Woody Lathrop called from the front of his store when he saw Burke coming down Doc's stairs. "Ho… how is she?" Woody was beside himself as he remembered seeing Kitty Russell being shot down on the street. The woman had saved his life only to maybe now lose her own because of it.

"I don't know." Burke shook his head sadly. "She didn't look good at all. I've never seen someone so hurt."

Woody dropped his head. "I… I just don't know why she done it, Burke." He confessed. "I mean, she didn't owe me nothing. She would've been safe, Burke. She would've been safe."

Burke nodded. "I know. I still keep seeing her walk down those stairs and telling Bonner who she is. I don't guess I've ever seen someone that brave. I know I wouldn't have done it."

"Not sure I would've either." Woody agreed as his eyes traveled back up the stairs to Doc's closed office door. "Do you think Doc will be able to pull her through? I mean he's saved the Marshal's life more than once when we were sure he was a goner. Surely he could…"

"The Marshal's a man." Burke reminded. "He's a lot tougher than Miss Kitty. Besides, most of those times he was shot, he hadn't been beaten first. I'll tell ya, Woody, it'll be a miracle if Miss Kitty lives through this."

Woody took a deep breath and nodded as Burke moved away, back down towards the freight office. A miracle, Burke had said. That she would need. Hopefully, the marshal would arrive soon to help provide that but in the meantime, he thought of something else.

Although not a deeply religious man, Woody did know something about the art of prayer and he knew that where Doc's abilities as a healer ended, the man up above's started.

Stepping back into his store, Woody closed the door and put up the closed sign. He didn't much feel like working right then.

Later that evening, as the hours stretched by and still there was no word from Doc's office or from the Marshal, Woody pace the street with half of the town's population talking with the other citizens. He'd managed to work himself up into a state as time passed and there hadn't been any news.

"Something's got to be done." He stated several times. "We can't let animals like this roam the countryside and hurt people like they did Miss Kitty."

No one argued with that point but none of them were exactly sure what they could do about it. They weren't the law. They weren't by nature brave people like Marshal Dillon and even Kitty Russell.

"There comes the Marshal." Someone suddenly called as Marshal Dillon and Newly came racing into town. "She's upstairs, Marshal."

Belying his exhaustion, Dillon practically leaped from his horse and ran up the stairs, Newly following him half way up. Though relieved to see him, the town wondered what would happen next. Would Dillon go after the bandit or stay with Miss Kitty?

"Newly?" Burke made his way to the young man's side. "Did Marshal Dillon say what he plans to do about this?"

"No, Burke." Newly shook his head. He wouldn't have told Burke anything regardless of what the Marshal had said. But in truth, Matt Dillon had been too frantic about Miss Kitty to say much of anything, had that even been his nature, which it wasn't. "Marshal Dillon didn't say anything. Has there been any word on Miss Kitty?"

"No." Burke answered sadly. "Doc, Festus and Sam have been up there with her all afternoon and evening but there's been no word. I'm hoping that's a good sign. You know, that she's still… well, I mean, wouldn't Doc have told us if she… Well, wouldn't he?"

"I don't know," Newly answered as the door opened and Festus and Sam came out.

"Festus?" Newly hurried to his side, as did everyone else. "Is she…"

"She's alive." Festus answered. "I ain't shore how and she blame sure come close to not being there, but I guess she hung on for Matthew."

Still more hours stretched by as the people down below Doc's office stood and waited. Many of them were tired and several of them had wives and families waiting for them at home, but none of them left. They recognized the sacrifice Kitty Russell had made and they knew that had it not been for her that three men and maybe many more would be dead now. They at least owed it to her and Marshal Dillon to sit out the vigil.

Early the next morning, the door opened again and Matt Dillon stepped out onto the stoop. Matt Dillon, not Marshal Dillon as evidenced by the missing badge on his shirt. As each man present in the predawn streets of Dodge watched, they saw a man full of fury and grief come down those stairs and head for his horse.

They understood that for right then at least, he was no longer a lawman looking to keep the peace. He was Kitty Russell's man looking to avenge the wrong that was done to her, that was done to him.

As Dillon claimed his horse and rode out of town, the men watching him were silent. But words weren't needed. They each knew what they needed to do. Whether Matt Dillon the man wanted help or not, he was going to get it. They owed him and Kitty Russell.

End


	11. Hostage Season 18 (2)

**Unshown Moments for Hostage (2) S 18**

"Festus, I know what you're saying." Matt sighed. "But this is just something I have to do alone. Now the Dodge men are no match for Bonner's gang. So turn them around and take them home."

Festus and Newly exchanged troubled glances as Matt rode off and the towns people finally came riding up.

"Whoa!" Festus hollered as they neared. "Hold up there."

"What's wrong, Festus?" Sam questioned. "Why aren't you still with the Marshal?"

"He doesn't want us with him." Newly answered. "He wants to go in alone, thinks he can get Bonner to fight him without the rest of his gang joining in."

"You don't believe that, do you?" Sam was usually a very mild mannered man but this was about all he could take. The torture his beloved friend and boss had gone through was more than enough to anger him down to the bone but the thought of the Marshal riding into a gang of cut throats and his certain death without help was right out painful.

"That's the way he wants it." Festus answered coolly. "He appreciates you all a followin' him and all but he wants to do this alone."

"And you're just going to let him?" Sam's voice showed how he felt about that idea.

"Well, that depends on you fellers." Festus answered. "Now me, I jes as soon ride into hell with Matthew as to sit by and watch them yahoos kill em and that's jes what I'm fixin' on doing. But what about you all? I cain't make ya go and I cain't promise ya, that we'll come out of there alive if ya do go."

"I never asked for promises." Sam answered. "I saw what those animals did to Miss Kitty, Festus. I was there the same as you were when Doc operated on her. The only thing that kept her alive through all of that was the thought that the Marshal would be there for her. Now, I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure he comes back to her."

"Festus?" Burke spoke up just then in a thin and nervous voice. "Do you really think it's going to be dangerous going in there?"

Festus squinted one eye at him. He understood that Burke wasn't the bravest of men in most circumstances nor the smartest. But he also understood that the situation they might be riding into was beyond any danger any of them had ever faced before.

'Yes, Burke, that's what I'm a tellin' ya. We ain't gonna know nothing about how it is up there until we git there. Bonner jes might have a couple of lookouts a waiting fer us."

Burke swallowed hard but he didn't vocally object the way he was expected to. Festus looked around at the rest of the men. All of them, except for Sam and Newly were clearly nervous and even a little frightened.

"Now, I aint gonna force none of ya to go up there. As a matter of fact, Ol' Matthew don't want none of ya going like I tolt ya. He wanted me and Newly here to take ya all back to town."

"But we're not going to do that." Newly spoke up. "Festus and I are going on. The Marshal may not want us with him, but we're going anyway. What the rest of you all do is up to you."

Sam quickly steered his horse close to both of the deputies. His voice and his expression were deadly serious. "I'm going on with you two. If Bonner gets past the Marshal and you, he won't get by me."

Festus locked eyes with the bar man, understanding completely what he was saying. With a nod, he turned and looked at the rest of the men. "You all kin go on back if'n ya want. We're a goin' on."

The men of Dodge sat quietly for just a few moments before one by one, they spurred their horses and rode forward. "We owe them." Burke spoke up. "We're going."

Festus and Newly looked at each other and then at the face of each man. They saw no fear. They saw only determination to help and defend two of the most important people in their town.

"Lets git set to go give em a surprise." Festus said as he turned Ruth around and they rode on, following Matt to what fate was there.

End


	12. Marry Me

**Unshown Moments for Marry Me – Season 7**

"Morning, Chester." Sam smiled at the erstwhile Marshal's assistant as he came in. "What brings you in here?"

"Aw, nothing much Sam." Chester said. "It's just so warm outside I figured I'd come in here and kinda get out of it for a while."

"Would you like a beer?" Sam offered, knowing the real reason he was there. "On the house?"

"Uh, well… yeah. Yeah, that'd be nice, Sam. Thank you." Chester looked around the bar while Sam drew his drink. "Uh, where's Miss Kitty? She not up yet?"

"Oh, she's up." Sam answered. "She's back in her office. After the fuss that mountain boy made this morning, I think she figured it'd be safer in her there."

"What mountain boy?" Chester asked with a frown.

"Oh, I don't know for sure." Sam shrugged. "Some overgrown kid, sounded like he was from the mountains of Tennessee. He come in this morning and told Miss Kitty he was going to marry with her."

Chester's eyes grew wide. "He was gonna force her to…"

"Well, no." Sam shook his head. "Not actually force her. But he was fairly insistent. He actually had the nerve to take her by the wrist to lead her out of here."

"He did?" Chester's eyes widened. "He actually grabbed a hold of her?"

"No, he took her hand." Sam clarified.

"Well, what'd Miss Kitty say?" Chester moved in closer, his beer momentarily forgotten

"Well, just what you'd expect." Sam leaned against the bar. "She asked if he was joking and when he said he wasn't, she told him to get himself a drink or leave."

"Well, did he leave?"

"Not right away." Sam replied in recollection. "He kept insisting that Miss Kitty go with him, which she wasn't going to do."

"Well, did he try to hurt Miss Kitty?" Chester's eyes were as big as silver dollars as he listened.

"No, but he didn't seem to accept that she was saying no, so I finally took him by the seat of the pants and threw him out. "

"Well, I declare." Chester shook his head. "Did he fight you?"

"Well, he wasn't too happy about me tossing him out and he protested some. But I wouldn't say he fought."

"Did he come back?"

"No. No he didn't but I think he might've just pulled her completely out of here if I hadn't of been here."

"You sayin' he might've kidnapped Miss Kitty?" Chester was now swallowing hard at the mental image that was going through his mind.

"Well, maybe. Miss Kitty's not one to just let people order her around or force her to do anything, ya know. But he looked to be a pretty strong young man and I think he might've tried to take her out of here whether she wanted to go or not if she'd been here alone."

"Oh, golly." Chester gasped as he whirled towards the door. "Sam, I… I gotta go and tell Mr. Dillon about this." He took three steps towards the exit, then whirled around, going back to the bar. Grabbing his beer, he took a healthy swallow, sat it down heavily on the bar and then hurriedly left the saloon.

Sam grinned watching him. He didn't see the hurry, he figured Miss Kitty would tell the Marshal herself later when she saw him.

"Sam?" Kitty came in just then with her books in her arms, having decided to work in the open bar room rather than her stuffy office. "Did I hear someone out here?"

"Yes, Ma'am. It was just Chester."

"Oh? What was he doing in here so early?" She looked a little puzzled as she sat her books down and then claimed the coffee pot and a cup from the bar top.

"Oh, he said he just wanted to get in out of the sun. I think he really just wanted a free beer." He chuckled.

"Well, I notice he didn't finish it." She nodded at the almost full mug.

"No, he didn't." Sam agreed. "Said he had to go and talk to the Marshal real quick about the mountaineer that was in here earlier."

"You tell him about that?" She chuckled, remembering the boy.

"Yes, ma'am. Hope that was okay."

"Oh, that's fine." Kitty shook her head. "Of course, there's really not much to tell. That boy didn't really do anything."

"No, Ma'am, he didn't." Sam agreed. "But then again, that's never stopped Chester before."

Kitty laughed with a shake of her head. "Well, he won't be able to tell too tall a tale this time. Nothing happened."

As Chester raced down to the jail, only one thought consumed him. "I gotta get down to the jail and tell this to Mr. Dillon about the mountain man and how he tore up the saloon and Miss Kitty."

End


	13. KLA (I hate the official title because it's not right)

**Unseen Moments for KLA S 18**

After pulling Will Stambridge from the grasp of the angry mob, Matt pushed him towards the jail.  “Go on.”  He demanded. 

When they neared Kitty, he paused.  He wanted to let Stambridge go, help her up and take her back to the Long Branch for a long talk.  But he was angry and when Stambridge started towards her instead of the jail, Matt pushed him back.  “I said go on to the jail.”

“But Kitty…”

“You alright?”  He looked down at her, still without reaching down to help her up.

“I’m fine.”  Kitty answered as she stiffly got to her feet.  “I’ll be at the Long Branch should you need anything, Marshal.”  He wasn’t the only one angry or hurt.

Matt watched her for a moment before turning back to the gunman.  “Move!”

Will watched Kitty for as long as he could until she disappeared into the safety of her saloon then walked on down to the jail.  Once inside the jail, he stood quietly in the middle of the room.  “Am I under arrest for almost being lynched?”  He asked sarcastically.  “Or is it because of the attention I paid to Kitty?”

“Want to tell me what happened out there?”  Matt wasn’t about to discuss Kitty with this man, or at least not yet.  “What were they trying to hang you for?”

“Why didn’t you help Kitty up?”  Will countered.  “Why didn’t you let me help her?”

“I asked you a question, Stambridge.”  Matt refused to go there.

“And I asked you one.”  Will returned the stare. 

Matt clenched his fists in anger, taking a deep breath to calm his temper.  “What is between Kitty and I, is none of your business.  But what happened out there in the street is mine and I want to know what that is.”

Will sighed, losing the battle of wills to the lawman.  “I bought the Deems farm outside of town.  The old man’s son accused me of killing his father and stealing the deed to the place.  Your deputies had me locked up until a mob came after me.  The youngest one took me out the back way trying to get me away but the mob caught up with us before he could get me away.”

“And Kitty?”  Matt glared at him.  “Why was she out there in the street? What did she have to do with this?”

“She was trying to keep them from hanging me.”  Will answered evenly.  “But one of those good citizens of yours grabbed the shotgun from her and knocked her down.”

Matt turned away.  Once again, Kitty had been hurt trying to help someone and once again, he hadn’t been there to protect her and shamefully, he hadn’t even tried to help her when he found her lying on the ground. 

“I don’t care if you believe that I’m innocent or not.”  Will broke through his thoughts.  “But the truth is, I didn’t kill anyone and if you’ll question that boy and I mean really question him, you’ll see the truth.”

Matt nodded.  “I intend to do just that.”  He answered.  “But you’ll need to stay here until I do.”

“Alright.”  Will answered.  “Now, I’ve answered your questions.  What about mine?  What about Kitty?”

Matt wasn’t prepared to answer that question just yet.  “I’ll talk to Kitty.”  Matt answered.  “You go on in there.”  He jerked his thumbs towards the cells.

Will nodded and turned in that direction but stopped just before the door.  “She still loves you, Dillon.”  He said without turning around.  “Nothing I could say or do could change that.  Probably nothing you could say or do would either.  I’d still marry her and do my best to make her happy if she’d have me, and I intend to ask her. But I doubt she would agree to it.  What she did for me out there; wasn’t done because she loved me.  It was done because she loves you.  She only did what you would.”

Matt gritted his teeth but didn’t reply as he opened a cell and ushered Stambridge in.  “I’ll talk to Corely Deems and get this straightened out.”  He muttered as he locked the cell door and turned, leaving the cell area just as Newly came in.  “Newly, I’ve got Stambridge back there.  Keep an eye on him will ya?  I’m going to go find Corely Deems and see what he has to say about all this.”

“Sure will, Marshal.”  Newly nodded.  “And you don’t have to find Corley.  He’s over at the Bulls Head, passed out drunk.”

“Alright.”  Matt answered.  “Well, I’ll be back in a little bit.”

“Okay, Marshal.”  Newly shook his head as Matt left the jail, wondering just exactly where he really was going.

Leaving the jail, Matt walked quickly down to the Bulls Head and over to bar.  “Bull?  Corley Deems in here?”

“Yeah.”  Bull replied with a sour expression.  “He’s passed out over there in the corner.  I was just getting ready to throw him out.”

“Well, hold off on that, if you will.”  Matt glanced back at the boy.  “Keep him here for a while and I’ll be back for him.  I’ve got something I need to do.”

“Alright, Marshal.”  Bull made it clear he wasn’t happy about the idea but he’d do it.  He sure didn’t need the Marshal down on him.

Leaving the Bulls Head, Matt walked even quicker over to the Long Branch, bypassing the front doors and heading around to the back.  He doubted Kitty would be downstairs and it was her he needed to see.  Matt paused when he reached the back stair case and took a deep breath.  What he was going to do wasn’t going to be easy, but he had to do it.

Climbing up the stairs, he made his way down the hall to her room and softly knocked on the door.  He had a key but he wasn’t about to use in this instance.

“Come in, Matt.”  Kitty called, having heard and recognized his footsteps as he approached her door.

When he came in, he saw her standing at the window, her back to him.  She hadn’t changed her clothes and she didn’t turn when he entered.  “Kitty, we need to talk.” 

Kitty finally turned and looked at him and his heart broke.  The pain he saw in her eyes was enough to take his breath away.

“I’m sorry.”  Were the only words he could manage.

Kitty nodded but didn’t move and didn’t relax her rigid position.  “Alright.”  She sighed.  “Is that all you came to say?”

Retreating into his favored role of stoic Marshal looked appealing to the heartsick man right then but looking at the beleaguered woman in front of him, he knew he had to step out of his comfort area and talk to her from the heart.

“No.”  He shook his head as he tugged his hat off of his head.  “I was wrong Kitty.”  He swallowed hard.  “I was wrong in not telling you how I felt when you came into the jail or at least talking to you before I left town for that trial.  And I was wrong for putting my job in arresting Stambridge first and not helping you up from the street.  I was wrong for leaving you at that stage station in the first place.  I put my job and my pride in front of you and I was wrong.”

“Alright. Is that all you came to say?”  She repeated.  He saw no trace of emotion on her face and he understood just badly he really had hurt her.

“No.”  He dropped his head, gathered his strength and then raised his eyes back to hers.  “I love you, Kitty.  I can’t offer you any more now than I could when we were younger and if you marry Stambridge, I’ll forever hate myself for that fact.  But I will accept it and I will never interfere in your life unless he hurts you or you ask me to.”

Kitty held her head high still showing nothing of how she was feeling or what she thought about what he’d said.  “Now, is that all?”

Matt shook his head.  “Say no, Kitty.”  His voice took on an urgent pleading tone that he couldn’t and didn’t want to control.   “I don’t have the right to ask you to do that and I can’t give you what he can but I don’t want you to go with Stambridge.  Like I said, I’ll accept it if you choose him, but I want you to know that I don’t want you to.”

Kitty turned away from Matt, uncertainty and pain clearly written on her face.  Matt had finally told her part of what she’d wanted to hear for so long, what she hadn’t heard from him since the days after Bonner, while she was recovering.  But she wondered if it was too little too late.

“Kitty?”  Matt stared at her still rigid back.

“Thank you, Matt.”  Kitty finally sighed.  “I know it probably wasn’t easy for you to tell me that and I appreciate it.  But I don’t know now if it’s enough.”  She turned to look at him.  “You know how I feel about you, so you’ll understand how difficult this all is for me.  I will need time to think about it.”

“I understand.”  Matt gripped his hat tightly as he turned for the door.  Pausing as he opened it, he turned back.  “I uh, will get things sorted out about Deems and what happened.  If Stambridge didn’t do anything, I’ll let him go.”

Kitty merely nodded as Matt turned and left.

A few hours later there was a knock on her door.  It wasn’t Matt, she could tell that.  Opening the door, she found Will standing in the hallway, hat in hand.

“Will?”  She smiled.  “Everything alright?  Matt let you go?”

Will nodded.  “Yeah, he did, Kitty.  After talking to that Deems boy he recognized the truth of it all.  He let me go and locked him up instead.”

Kitty let out a breath of relief.  “Well, I’m glad, Will.  I know you couldn’t have done anything like that.”

Will dropped his head.  “Thank you, Kitty.  I appreciate your faith in me. But is that all you’ll allow me?”

Kitty knew what he was asking and after a sleepless night of reflection on everything, she knew what she had to tell him.  “I’m afraid so, Will.  I… I can’t leave him.  No matter what I want, I know it wouldn’t matter if I couldn’t have it with him.”

“He won’t give it to you, Kitty.”  Will warned.

“I know.”  Kitty nodded.  “But he’s already given me so much that I can do without the rest if I have to.  I love him, Will.  I have to stay with him.”

Will nodded sadly.  “There’s a stage leaving this morning.  I guess I’ll see about getting a ticket on it.  Want to see me off?”

Kitty nodded with a sad smile.  “You go get your ticket.  I’ll change and meet you there.”

Will turned for the door and opened it.  But before stepping out, he looked back at Kitty.  “Dillon’s a lucky man.  I hope he realizes that before you do finally leave him.”

Kitty watched him walk out and waited until the door closed before replying.  “I do too.”


	14. Marry Me (2)

**Unshown Moments for Marry Me (2)**

**This is for BigMommaT**

**AN: DebbieW, I read every word. None of the important ones were missing. Thank you and have a blessed day.**

Matt got up stiffly from the jail cot and stretched for what seemed like miles before he was able to work enough kinks out of his spine to actually get up and get dressed.

After leaving Doc's side the night before, he'd actually planned on heading over to the Long Branch. Kitty had promised him she'd retire early and would be waiting for him. That was why he'd made such a show in front of the physician of being so tired, so that he could get away. But the drunk he now had in the cells behind him, ruined those plans, as had Chester.

Chester, who normally slept at the jail, had found a poker game and a girl in that order and he hadn't made it back to the jail until too late for Matt to go to Kitty, which meant Matt had to stay there and help babysit a drunk who sang most of the night in an off pitched baritone about a canary in a coal mine.

Scrubbing the back of his head, Matt padded across the front room of the jail and back to the cells. "Okay, Reamer." He banged against the cell bars, arousing the sleeping man. "Time to get up and get out." He waited a minute and when Jed Reamer didn't move, he banged against the bars again and opened the door. "Come on, Jed. Get up."

"Leave me be." Jed pushed at his hand when Matt shook his arm. "Can't ya see, I'm sleepin' here?"

"Not here." Matt answered. "Now, come on."

It took a little more prodding and Matt almost had to carry the drowsy man half out of the jail, but finally he got him out and on his way. Now he could get dressed and head out to breakfast and then maybe, just maybe, Kitty would be up and he could explain to her about the night before.

As he moved around, getting dressed, Chester finally roused. "Morning, Mr. Dillon?"

"Chester." Matt looked over at him. "I trust you slept well."

"Oh, sure did." Chester answered with a smile. "You?"

Matt started to answer but just then the door banged open and a distraught looking Sam Noonan was at the door. "Marshal, you'd better come. Miss Kitty's missing."

Swallowing hard, Matt hastily put his vest on and grabbed his gun belt. "What do you mean, she's missing?" He questioned as he quickly followed Sam to the saloon.

"Well, I don't know for a fact." Sam answered. "But I went up to her room and knocked on the door and there was no answer. Her doors locked so I couldn't get in but unless she's hurt or something she'd answer me so I don't think she's there." He stopped and looked balefully at Matt. "I sent for Doc in case..."

"Good." Matt looked over at Chester. "Go down to the stables, Chester. Talk to Moss and see if Kitty's been there this morning. If not, then go down to Delmonico's and check there. If she's not in her room, then we need to find her."

As Chester took off, Matt raced a little ahead of the barman to the saloon, pushing inside and heading up the stairs, taking them two at a time. "Kitty? Kitty?"

He pounded on the door but there was no reply. "Stand back, Sam." Matt warned as he raised a leg and kicked the door open. Stepping inside, Matt gasped when he saw the destruction of the room and noted that the red headed owner of said room was indeed missing.

"Marshal?" Sam, wide eyed at the disarray, stepped inside and looked around. "What… what happened?"

Matt thoroughly searched through the room, satisfying himself that Kitty was not there when his eyes suddenly fell upon the open window and he stepped over, looking out. He saw scuff marks on the window sill and the sloping roof of the room below it. "I don't know." He answered grimly.

"Mr. Dillon?" Chester called just then. "Mr. Dillon, you up there?"

"That's Chester." Sam's voice held a hopeful note. "Maybe he found her."

"If he didn't." Matt stepped to the door, taking one last look around her room. "I will."

End


	15. Marry Me (3)

**Unshown Moments for Marry Me (3)**

**This is also for BigMommaT**

Matt leaned Sweet Billie's rifle against the fence post and then hurried to catch up to Kitty who was already well ahead. "Kitty? Wait up." He called.

Kitty glanced up at him with a sorrowful expression. "Sorry." She muttered.

"Are you okay?" He asked looking her over carefully.

"They didn't hurt me, Matt." Kitty answered, guessing at what he was thinking. "I meant what I said. They are kind and gentle people. They just didn't realize that things are done a little differently here than back in their mountains."

"I'm glad to hear that, Kitty." Matt came to a stop when they reached the horses and turned to look at her. "But are you okay? You looked pretty upset back there."

"I… I just…" Kitty dropped her head. "I just hated to hear that Mr. Cathcart died, Matt. He was a nice old man. He didn't really mean me any harm and to die like he did…"

"Which reminds me, Kitty." Doc came up beside them. "As soon as we get back to town, I need to check you over. You were in the same shack with that old man and if he had it, you could get it too."

Matt looked stricken as he considered that. "Doc, you mean she could get cholera?"

"I am." Doc answered. "Honey, we'll have to burn those clothes you've got on and I'm going to want to quarantine you for a while till I know one way or the other."

"Doc, what about those boys? Could they have it as well." Kitty wasn't thinking about herself as much as she was Orkey and Sweet Billy.

"Well, it's a possibility." Doc ticked his head. "Matt, I think I'd better take Kitty on back to town and you and Chester need to see to it that the Cathcarts don't tote their father anywhere. They may not like it, but that old man needs to be buried as quickly as possible along with burning everything he touched. I'd do the same with those boy's things as well."

"Alright, Doc." Matt nodded as he looked down to Kitty. "Kitty, I…"

"I'll be alright, Matt." Kitty smiled up at him. "Don't you worry. Just do as Doc says and I'll see you when you get back home."

Matt reached out and took her hand before she turned to climb into the buggy. "I'm glad you're alright, Kitty." He smiled down at her. "I…"

"I know, Matt." She smiled up at him. "Me too. Now go on and do as Doc says. I'll be waiting for you in town."

Matt nodded and quickly helped her up into the buggy. "Doc…" He looked at the physician. "Doc…"

"She'll be fine, Matt." Doc told him. "And she'll be waiting for you when you get back."

Matt stepped back with a sigh. "She'll be waiting for you." Doc had said. He counted on that.

End.


	16. Marry Me (4)

**Unshown Moments for Marry Me (4)**

"Orkey, you're pa's got cholera doesn't he?" Kitty knew the answer already.

"Yes'm." Orkey answered sadly. "He does."

"I have a friend in Dodge. He'd know what to do for your pa. Why don't you send Sweet Billy into town to get him?" Kitty was no longer concerned about escaping. She truly didn't want to see the old man die.

"Pa don't take to doctoring." Orkey shook his head as he went behind the curtain to tend to his father.

Kitty took a deep breath and looked down. "Orkey, whether he wants it or not, you've got to get him some help." She called through the curtain. "He's going to die if you don't."

On the other side of the curtain, Orkey looked down on his father, struggling not to cry out. The old man was barely breathing and moaning in pain. Orkey knew no matter how swiftly help could be obtained, it wouldn't be fast enough to save his pa.

"Kitty? Kitty?"

Orkey heard a deep male voice calling for her in the yard and he knew that, like his father, he was about to lose her too. He reckoned the pain of her loss would be close to the pain of losing his pa, only he knew, he'd never really had Kitty to begin with, not inside, not the way he'd hoped.

"Orkey?" Kitty pulled the curtain back. "He…"

"Go on, Miss Kitty." Orkey offered her a sad smile. "Just go on. And tell that there man to please be quiet. Pa needs his rest."

"Orkey…"

"Go on, I said." Orkey's voice took on a stern note he'd never had before.

Kitty nodded in understanding, turned and headed for the door, quickly leaving and running as fast as she could to the man waiting out there for her. The man she really belonged to.

"Or… key?"

Orkey swallowed hard and looked down at his father. "Pa. It's alright. You'll be okay. You just rest."

But the senior Cathcart shook his head as he feebly reached out and took his son's hand. "Do… what's…right, boy. Do… what's…"

Orkey nodded, dropping his head in complete misery as his father breathed his last. "Do what's right." His pa had said. Nodding to the knowledge of what he had to do, Orkey squared his shoulder's and went out to tell his brother about their pa and say to goodbye to Kitty Russell.

End


	17. KLA (1)

**Unshown Moments for KLA S 18 - She didn't have an affair so I refuse to call it that.**

**This is for MissLizzyJ**

"Marshal." Will asked Matt. "Is Kitty really her own woman?" He watched the tall lawman closely. He knew they had a connection of some sort, but he wanted to know how close a one.

"Mister, if you don't know that, then you've got a long way to go." Matt answered. When Will Stambridge walked away, Matt watched him for a few seconds. He hated how this man had come in between he and Kitty and he hated that Kitty had let him. But he hated even more that he had caused her to do so.

Shaking his head at the whole thing, Matt went on about his business, determined to keep an eye on Will Stambridge while staying out of Kitty's business entirely. It stung that she was apparently so taken with the man, but he knew he had only himself to blame for the matter.

As long as he refused to commit to her or even give her hope of any sort of future, he couldn't fault her for being attracted to and considering a proposal from a man who would. No, he decided, he needed to stay out of it entirely and let Kitty decide for herself what she wanted and who she wanted it with no matter how bad it hurt.

But a little while later, when he saw Will Stambridge again, Matt couldn't prevent himself from at least trying to protect her.

"Stambridge." Matt called as he saw him walking down the street towards the Long Branch. "Can I talk to you?"

Will stopped and waited for the tall man to catch up to him. He didn't dislike the Marshal, per se, but he didn't have high regards for him either. He knew Kitty cared for him and that if he were to ever convince her to marry him; he'd also have to convince her to leave this man behind. Maybe talking to him would give him the ammunition he needed to do that.

"Marshal?" He nodded when Matt approached. "Something I can do for you?"

Matt looked around them, not wanting to discuss personal business out on the street. "You got a couple of minutes to talk?"

"About what?" Will asked, although he had a feeling he knew.

"Let's go over to the jail." Matt said in reply. "The streets no real place to talk."

"It was earlier." Will pointed out.

"My office, Stambridge." Matt made it clear they would not talk about this on the street but that they would talk about it.

Will simply nodded and followed Matt to the jail. He figured it was about time they cleared the air between them about Kitty anyway.

When they reached the jail, Matt held the door for the gunman and then followed him in, taking his hat off and placing it on the peg by the door. "Coffee?" He asked as he started for the stove.

"No." Will answered. "This isn't a social visit and I don't have time for pleasantries. So why don't you get down to why you brought me over here."

Matt studied the man for a moment. He was impressed with his manner. At least he wasn't cowering before the presence of the law and he wasn't acting like some thug. Kitty deserved much better than a man of either kind. Still, he wasn't sure Will Stambridge was good enough for her either.

"Alright." Matt tucked his thumbs into his gun belt. "Then I'll be short and to the point. I don't have any say over what Kitty does or doesn't do and who she sees. But I can and will take a hand in things if I ever find out that she's being hurt in any way. So far, she seems happy. But if I ever find out that she isn't…"

"You would never know, Marshal." Will answered somewhat smugly. "Because if she does agree to marry me, I promise you, I would never let her near you."

Matt stiffened at that thought, knowing it to be the truth and yet hating the thought at the same time.

" _ **If** _ she agrees to marry you, Stambridge." Matt's voice was low and feral. "I will stay completely out of it. But whether you let her near me or anything else, I _**will**_ find out if you ever hurt her. And if you do, I _**will**_ make sure you don't do it again. Am I understood?"

Will straightened his stance admiring the man before him more than he expected. Dillon may be a fool in not letting Kitty know how much he cared for her but he wasn't such a fool that he'd let her get hurt by anyone if he could prevent it.

"I understand, Marshal. But you have no worries there. I would never hurt Kitty."

Matt didn't reply as Will offered a curt nod and then turned, leaving the jail.

"You'd better not."

End


	18. The Avengers 1

**Unshown Moments for The Avengers Season 11**

**More a prequel to the episode. This is for MissLizzyJ**

Thad sat in the back of the Long Branch, hat low over his forehead as he watched the tall trail boss making a perfect fool of himself.

"Ah, come on, Honey." The obviously drunk cowpoke wrapped an arm around Kitty's shoulder and tried to pull her close. "Les go up upstairs and get to know each other. You know what I mean."

"Yeah," Kitty grunted as she pried his arms off of her. "I know. And I said, NO. Now leave me alone."

But as Kitty tried to walk away, the loathsome man grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him again. "I said, we were going upstairs." He stared hard at the saloon owner.

"Hey, Rick." The other man with him, who looked a lot like him, called out. "Save some of her for me." He chuckled loudly while the creep pulled on Kitty's arm.

Kitty wasn't in the mood to fight but she was growing weary of being pawed by this man. "Let me go!" She demanded.

"Ut huh." He shook his head. "Not til I'm ready."

"Uh, Mister?" Thad stood up, unable to watch Miss Kitty being man handled like that any longer. "I'd appreciate it, if you'd take your hand off of the lady."

The inebriated cowman released Kitty's arm and slowly turned towards Thad. "Huh? You… you'd appreciate it?" His voice held incredulous humor as well as cold anger.

"Yes, sir." Thad nodded. "She don't want you bothering her so I think you should just let her go and leave her alone."

"Oh, really?" The trail boss lowered his grimy hand to the gun strapped to his leg, brown eyes sizing up the young man standing across from him. "Well, let's see you make me."

"Thad, no!" Kitty suddenly cried out as she quickly moved to his side. "Thad, it's alright." She whispered urgently to him. "Don't do anything that could get you killed. You hear me? Don't. I'll take care of him. You just go on."

"But, Miss Kitty…"

"Go on, Thad." Kitty took his arm and urged him towards the door. "I'll be fine. Don't worry about a thing."

"Yeah, Thad. You jes go on, now." The thug sneered. "Leave this business to the adults."

Thad stopped, prepared to fight the man, but Kitty refused to let him. "Go." She ordered in a tone that let him know she would not take no for an answer.

As soon as Thad left the saloon, Kitty shook her head at his impulsive desire to protect her and likely get himself killed as she started back towards the bar. But the drunken sot of a cowboy wasn't yet willing to quit. The second Kitty came within his arm's length, he snuck out a hand and once again grabbed her, pulling her to him.

Kitty had had all she intended to take. As soon as she got close enough, Kitty raised a leg and ground her sharply pointed heels into the top of his foot. And then when he gasped in shock and pain, she raised her leg even higher and crushed her knee against his most prized possessions. He quickly let her go and took a painful lurch backward.

"Alright!" Kitty glared at him and the other one. "Out of here! I want all of you out of here, now! We're closing up."

The drunk's brother shook his head. "I ain't doing nothing."

"And you're not going to, either. At least not here you're not. Now leave!"

With a baleful glare at her, he took an angry breath and headed for the door. "Rick?" He paused at the door. "You coming?"

"Go on." Rick snapped. "I'll be there in a minute. All of you go on, head back to the herd. I'll be there."

Kitty could tell he was in pain when he spoke and she wasn't in the slightest sorry for it.

Although most of the men muttered, none of them stayed, none of them, except Rick. "This ain't over with, Woman." He growled. "I'll get you."

"I said, get out of here." She said quietly. Rick started to take a closer step to her but was suddenly stopped by the click of a shotgun. Sam had pulled his from behind the bar and had it leveled at the man's chest.

"You heard her." His voice was low but it resounded in the now empty bar room.

Rick nodded sarcastically at the both of them and then turned and left the bar.

Sam didn't relax his stance until he was gone, then he finally laid the gun down on the bar.

Kitty sighed and shook her head, heading over to the bar. "It takes all kinds, Sam." She told him.

"Yes, Ma'am." He nodded. "But I'd be just as happy without that kind."

Kitty grinned in agreement. "Yeah but business sure would be slow."

Sam nodded then paused. "You think he'll be back? He seemed really angry."

"No." Kitty shook her decidedly. "I know how to handle boys like that. Trust me, he won't be back."

Reaching the bar, she went about helping Sam to start the cleanup just as the doors burst open and Festus and Thad came rushing in.

End


	19. The Avengers 2

**Unshown Moments for The Avengers (2)**

Kitty was in the storeroom, clipboard in hand, trying hard to get her mind off of Matt and onto her work but it was hard. The look on Doc's face, when he'd had Thad and Festus take him out of the saloon, worried her more than anything. Although she'd gone to the jail and saw for herself that he would eventually be okay, it only lessened her concern marginally.

The Strom's were still out there and could always come back and try again to kill him. She didn't consider that it wasn't Matt they wanted until she stepped near the door and looked up to see a gun in her face.

"Don't yell or make any sort of noise, or I will deny Pa the pleasure of hanging you."

Kitty swallowed hard, recognizing the oldest remaining Strom son, Cal. "Wha… what do you want?" She asked.

"You." He moved closer and grabbed her arm. "Now, move."

Afraid not to comply, Kitty laid her clipboard down and allowed herself to be dragged from the cellar, into the alley behind the saloon. There she found the other brother and Festus, mounted and waiting. "Festus?" She moved closer to see his head bowed, blood running down the side of his face.

"He's alright, get mounted." Cal demanded.

But Kitty jerked loose from his grip and ran to her friend's side. "Festus? Festus, are you alright?"

Festus raised his head and tried to focus on her but he was too foggy and it hurt too bad. Dropping his head back down, he closed his eyes, allowing the darkness to take over again. If the Strom boys hadn't of tied him to the horse, he would've fallen from the saddle right into her arms.

"He's alright." Cal sneered. "He just didn't like the idea of coming with us." Pointing his gun directly at her head, Cal nodded towards the horse. "Now, you'd best get mounted before I do worse to you."

"What are you doing?" Kitty demanded angrily. "What's this about?"

"It just like I said," Cal pushed her roughly against the horse. "We're gonna try and hang you. Now, move."

Kitty wanted to argue, to fight, or run, but glancing up at Festus' unconscious form, she chose to do as she was ordered. She couldn't leave her friend alone with these two in his shape. With a glare at both of the Strom's, she grabbed the saddle horn and pulled herself up.

Once mounted, the two Strom brothers took their hostages south. Coming upon a large creek, they led the way in east then turned the horses around mid-stream to go west riding a few more miles to an old farm where nothing but the root cellar remained of a once viable home place.

"Come on, get off there." Cal demanded when they stopped in front of the cellar.

Kitty quickly dismounted and then hurried around to Festus' side. She wasn't strong enough to get him off the horse but she held onto him once Mark Strom pulled him down and helped support his weight as they took him down the stairs.

"Festus?' Kitty gently called him when he pushed him down onto an old crate. "Festus?" But Festus was beyond replying and it frightened the red head more than she already was. "He needs the doctor." She angrily turned to glare at old man Strom who was watching them intently. "He's hurt."

"Cal?" Strom looked at his son. "What happened here?"

"He didn't wanta come." Cal answered sullenly. "We had to convince him."

The elder Strom looked down at the nearly comatose man. "He know what's going on?" He directed the question at Kitty.

"No." She shook her head as she pulled a piece of her petticoat off and gently tried to stop the flow of blood from his temple. "Your boys saw to it that he doesn't know anything right now."

Judge Strom took a deep, irritated breath and looked up at his younger son. "Go get the doctor, Son. We can't try a man that doesn't know what's happening."

As Mark nodded and climbed up the stairs to leave, the judge looked down at Kitty. "I guess we can wait to try you until the Doctor gets here. It won't change the verdict."

Normally, Kitty would've warned him that anything he did to her and Festus would garner the attention and ire of US Marshal Matt Dillon. But Matt was hurt and unable to ride and as far as she knew, no one knew that she and Festus were missing or where they were.

"Mmmm…." Festus moaned as his eyes fluttered and he came to for a moment. "Miz… Miz Kitty…"

"Sssshhh, Festus." She gently wiped his face again. "Don't you worry. It's going to be alright. We're going to be fine."

"O… okay." He mumbled as he drifted off again.

"Actually, lady, you two are going to hang." Strom declared as he looked down at her.

"Maybe." Kitty answered resolutely as she fixed him with a scowl. "But it won't be the end of me or of him."

"Now, what's that supposed to mean?'" Cal looked perplexed at her.

"You can kill us but you can't kill the truth." Kitty explained. "We didn't kill your son the way you think. He killed himself by attacking me and shooting Festus and nothing you can do to us will change that fact. We won't be forgotten but your son already has been."

Both Strom's glared at her, at least one of them knowing, deep down, that she was right. But Judge Strom wasn't about admit it, not when his oldest, and most loved boy was lying dead in his grave.

"Tie them up, Cal." He ordered angrily. "Tie their hands behind their backs and tie em tight. They're going to swing by their necks before this day is out."

Kitty said nothing as Cal grabbed her arms and pulled them painfully behind her, wrapping her wrists tightly with rope and tying it off. What she'd told the old man she meant, but still, deep inside, she held out hope that if there was anyway what so ever, Matt would find a way to get to her. He always had before, and she was counting on this time too.

End


	20. Gold Mine 1

**Unshown Moments for Gold Mine Season 11 (1)**

**AN: Please let me remind everyone, these little scenes are solely the result of my imagination. They are not meant to be taken as the only way to see a particular episode**

"I'll just mosey on down there myself after a spell and…" Pa Gibbyjohn looked up as he imagined the red head down at the cabin. "and see if the coast is clear." He added when he realized his sons were staring at him intently.

Understanding the looks on their faces, he knew they had an idea of what he intended to see.

"Well, I got more moral fiber than what you got. I can, uh, I can look upon that Jezebel and not be… tempted." Yeah, tempted was the word alright. "Uh, in the meantime, skinny on up that tree and get me my jug. There's a… there's a chill in the air."

As soon as his son retrieved his jug, Pa snuck down to the cabin and stationed himself just outside, looking through the torn scrap of cloth used a curtain, watching the two people inside. Apparently the young man was going to sleep on a cot in the main room and the woman was going to sleep in the other room.

Taking a look behind him, satisfying himself that his boys were nowhere around, Pa quickly snuck around the side of the cabin to another window where he could get a better look at the back room.

Silently, with a leer, Pa watched the woman as she began to strip out of her clothes and with a pan of water and a wash cloth, began to clean up. He'd never seen a woman that pretty in all his days. Glorious red hair and blue eyes and that figure….

Silently, he stared, swallowing hard, as she peeled off more of her clothes and more and more skin was revealed. Pa's eyes widened when, with her back to him, she slipped her blouse from her shoulders and began removing the camisole underneath it. Pa hadn't seen something that pretty since his now dead wife and he was first married.

No. No, now that he thought about it, his wife wasn't that pretty. She'd been shorter, plumper and a whole lot more… more… well, she hadn't been like the red head he was watching now.

Slowly lowering his hand, the old man sought to ease the ache that watching the woman had caused but just as it'd reached its intended destination, he suddenly heard something behind him. Stiffening, the old man carefully looked behind him,

There, just a few yards away, was a skunk watching him curiously. Pa froze. Never the cleanest of men and certainly not one to take baths as often as his son Eb, he still didn't want to smell like a skunk if he could help it. For several minutes, he sat perfectly still as he tried to decide what to do.

"Miss Kitty?" He heard the young man at the door. "I'm going to get some firewood and bring it in."

Pa's eyes widened as he realized, he was sitting by the wood pile. Quickly, he scanned the area in the weak light coming from the window. He couldn't see any place to hide. Well, he couldn't see any place aside from the tall tree that the skunk was currently nesting under.

Wildly turning his head this way and that he had just glanced back towards the window when the woman, bare from the waist up, was just about to turn in his direction. For a couple of seconds he was mesmerized, licking his lips, waiting for her to turn completely around but just then, he heard footsteps heading in his direction.

Pa Gibbyjohn swallowed hard, knowing the young man with the hard fists was about to discover him outside of the lady's room, peeking in at something he shouldn't.

"Uh, Thad?" The woman had quickly put a robe around her and stepped to the curtain that separated the rooms. Thad paused, and turned away, without seeing Pa sitting there just on the other side of the wood.

"Bring enough wood in for the stove will ya?" The red head called. "I'll cook us something good for dinner tomorrow."

"Oh, okay, Miss Kitty." Thad answered.

While the young man was yet looking away, Pa glanced back to see the skunk had finally moved on and the only escape path available to him was free. Quickly, he hurried away and slipped into the surrounding woods. He had no idea what they did with the gold but he'd worry about that later.

Right then, his heart was pounding too hard. He'd have one of the boys sneak in later to get the gold as soon as he found a place to stop and rest where his boys and that young man and that skunk couldn't find him and he could sit back and think about that sight that he'd almost seen that night.

Yep, if he never saw another woman for as long as he lived, he'd be able to honestly say, he had that night. And the sight was almost worth more than the gold he'd lost to her and almost worth the stench he'd had if the skunk had caught him.

End


	21. Gold MIne 2

**Unshown Moments from Gold Mine S 11 (2)**

"Matt, if you say 'I told you so', I'll never speak to you again." Kitty snapped as he reached out and helped her out of the sluice pond.

Matt wisely kept his mouth shut and simply pulled her out, making sure she was standing on her own before he released her hand, as he looked around. "Where's Thad?"

"Thad!." Kitty gasped as it dawned on her that she hadn't seen him since the Gibbyjohn's had started shooting at her feet.

Quickly turning, she spotted him a few yards away, still lying on his back, cradling his injured arm. "Oh, Thad." She rushed to his side, followed closely by Matt and Richard. "Thad, are you alright?"

"I… I'm alright, Miss… Mis…" Thad's voice failed as he passed out.

"Matt?" Kitty looked up at him in alarm. '

'Stay with him, Kitty." Matt told her as he looked over at the wagon sitting beside the still burning shack. "I'll get that wagon hitched up and we'll get him to town."

Kitty mutely nodded, as Matt pulled on Richard's sleeve and the two went to hitch up the wagon.

On the way to PickAxe, Matt glanced at the back of the wagon to see Kitty sitting with an unconscious Thad's head in her lap. "He okay?" He asked.

"The bleeding's stopped." She answered. "But he still hasn't come to."

"We'll be in town shortly." He told her as he snapped the reins, urging the horse on.

When they reached town and located the barber, the town's only excuse for a doctor, they sat quietly beside each other as the tall, thin man quickly examined the young man. Kitty had told him everything that had transpired, ruefully admitting that her trek through the sluice pond that day was her second one since arriving there.

"You okay?" Matt asked, looking down at her ruined clothes and worried expression.

"Yeah." Kitty nodded, looking up at him. "I… I'm sorry, Matt." She dropped her head. "It's my fault that Thad was hurt and…"

"Now, wait a minute." Matt gently placed a hand on her arm. "The only fault lies at the Gibbyjohn's feet. They're the ones that shot him."

Kitty looked up gratefully at him. "But he wouldn't be here if you hadn't sent him to rescue me and you wouldn't have done that if I hadn't of gotten mad at you and come alone."

Matt grinned. "Well, that's true."

Kitty lightly slapped his arm. "You didn't have to agree so quickly, ya know." She reluctantly returned the smile and dropped her head. "I'm sorry, Matt. It's… it's just that…"

"I know, Kitty." He answered. "And it's alright. Just promise me, you won't come to a place like this alone again."

Kitty raised her head and grinned up at him. "Deal." She answered. "Next time you can come with me."

End.


	22. Sarah

**Unshown Moments for Sarah**

This is for **BigMommaT** who wanted to know what happened when Matt had to spend the night with Sarah

AN: Guest, Phoenix and Gunsmokefan - requests received and I will see what I can do. Looks like I get to watch some more Gunsmoke

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Matt?" Sarah slid soft blue eyes over to the man sitting up rigidly in the bed beside her.

"Yeah?" He looked over at her. Though she was still pretty, he saw changes in the girl he was knew. Changes that hadn't been particularly good.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. "I… I just didn't know what else to do. If Pappy…"

"I know, Sarah." Matt sighed. "And it's alright."

"What are you going to tell her?" Sarah watched his face as she asked. He's never mentioned a woman in his life, but she had a feeling there was one.

"Who?" He looked over at her with a frown.

"Whoever it is that you have back in Dodge." Sarah answered. "I know there's someone. Man like you is bound to have a woman that loves him as much as…" She stopped.

She'd loved Matt when they were very young and a part of her still did. But as she looked into his sky blue eyes, she could tell he didn't feel the same towards her. The only thing she saw in his eyes now was kindness and sympathy but no love, at least not for her.

"You, uh, didn't answer me." Sarah pointed out when Matt continued in his silence. "What are you going to tell her?"

"Sarah." Matt sighed. "You need to get some sleep. You don't have to worry about Pappy and his bunch. I'll keep an eye on things." He wasn't about to discuss Kitty with her. They were two separate parts of his life and he wanted to keep them that way.

Sarah sat silently for several moments, before deciding he was right. Rolling to her side, she closed her eyes. "Good night, Matt."

"Good night." He answered.

"Matt?"

He looked over at her. "Yeah?"

"You don't have to tell her anything. She'll know. And she'll know nothing happened."

Matt didn't answer. He had no answer. Sarah was right. Kitty probably would know the first part at least. Sincerely, he hoped she knew the last as well.

Matt started to get up from the bed and make himself a pallet in the floor, but Sarah instantly reached out and grabbed his hand as she sat up and looked at him. "When you get home, sit her down and tell her about this. Be honest and you won't have anything to worry about. If she loves you have as much as I did, as a part of me still does, she'll understand, Matt."

"Go to sleep, Sarah." Matt said quietly acknowledging her words without saying it. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Alright." She released his hand and laid back down. "But if she doesn't understand, you can always come back here, Matt." She added. "I'll always take you."

Matt didn't respond, as he pulled the cover up over her. He thought Kitty would probably understand the situation he was in, but if she didn't, he knew he wouldn't be able to come back here to Sarah. His heart would never allow him to do that.

If Kitty were to turn him away, he'd just have to hang around her until she relented. Because as Sarah had once loved him, Matt loved Kitty.

End


	23. The Jailer

**Unshown Moments for The Jailer Season 12**

**This is for Katharine-Elizabeth**

"Matt, we don't have much time left." Kitty's voice was broken and tired and it hurt Matt to hear it.

Kneeling down in front of her, he met her gaze. "Kitty, anything can happen before tomorrow morning."

Kitty dropped her head, trying valiantly to keep back the tears but her struggle was in vain and soon her eyes welled up. The hand cuffs on Matt's wrists made it difficult for him, but, pulling her to her feet, he managed to drop his arms around her and hug her tightly.

"I wish I could tell you how much this hurts me." He sighed as he cradled her against his chest. "I've never wanted you to be hurt by my job."

"It won't be your job that hurts me, Matt." Kitty looked up at him. "It'll be a vengeful, crazy old woman who knows nothing but hate."

Matt nodded and increased his hold of her for a second, kissing her forehead before finally releasing her and raised his arms to let her go.

"Matt, I…" She looked up at him, her eyes showing just how much pain she was in. 'I…"

Just then the door swung open and Mike stepped in. "Times up, Lady. Get out of there."

Kitty quickly wrapped her arms around Matt again before Mike grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the shed. "I said, times up." He snapped.

"Let go of my arm." Kitty demanded once she exited the shed.

"You're a feisty one, ain't ya." He sneered down at her. "Even after Ma slapped you silly, you still want to fight."

"Yeah." She nodded. "I will fight until I die."

Mike laughed as he shoved her forward. "Well, that'll be tomorrow morning. Now go on."

Matt, inside the shed, dropped his head, staring solemnly at the floor. He knew Etta Stone wouldn't let Kitty live. He'd held out hope that she would, but deep inside, he knew it was a futile hope. Unless something happened, Kitty would die right alongside him simply because she'd had the audacity to love a lawman. "Ah, Kitty." He whispered. "I'm so sorry."

As Kitty walked back to the house, her eyes continually darted everywhere, looking in vain for any possible source of help or escape, but as she expected, there was none. Unless a miracle occurred, or she could convice Ben to help them, she and Matt would die in the morning. Him first, then her, according to Etta Stone.

In a sad way, that thought gave her a touch of comfort. She didn't know that Matt had heard Mike's comment so she thought that Matt wouldn't have to watch her die. His last thoughts wouldn't include those of guilt that she would die because of his job. And though her heart and soul would die the minute she saw him killed, she knew she'd join him shortly afterward and even in death they wouldn't be too long apart.

As Mike pushed her into the house and then over to the 'cage' as the old woman called her temporary prison, Kitty thought about the reason Matt was there in the first place. The stated reason was for revenge, but Kitty thought otherwise.

She knew that Matt would die because he'd loved her enough to give himself over to the likes of the Stones, in the vain hope that he could save her. "Oh, Matt." She whispered when the door was slammed and locked behind her. "I'm so sorry."

Ben watched his brother take Miss Russell back to the house and then glanced at the shed, where the Marshal was being kept prisoner. Two people whose only crimes had been to love each other and keep the law. When his Ma had at first told him of her plans for them, Ben was aghast and even a little outraged at the thought.

But though he'd argued that the plan wouldn't work, he hadn't argued as hard as he knew he should've and when his mother fixed him with her blue eyed glare, he'd backed down and agreed to do whatever it was that she wanted.

"Oh, my." He whispered to the wind. "I am so sorry."

The next morning, Sarah stood in the kitchen, making breakfast for the Marshal. Ma had given instructions that he was to be fed, even though she planned on hanging him and Miss Russell, this morning. Sarah blinked back a tear as she thought of the tall man and beautiful woman who were about to die.

They'd done nothing really, to garner such an end, but that mattered none to Ma Stone. She wanted vengeance for what she considered a crime against her and her husband and if she had to risk the lives of all of them, she would do it.

Taking her eyes off the gravy she was stirring, Sarah thought back to seven years prior. She had wed Lou Stone without really knowing him. He was tall, decent looking and knew how to charm and she was bereft of family or home. It wasn't until she said her I do's that she found out what kind of family she'd really married into and she'd been scared ever since.

But nothing like this. During the interval of time that she spent with Lou, before he and his brothers and pa were arrested, she knew of the crimes they committed. And though disturbing, she gradually accepted that as part of her life. The same as she'd accepted Lou and his family's abuse of her.

When most of the Stone men were arrested, Sarah remembered breathing a sigh of relief. Finally, the abuse would stop. Maybe now, she could get away. But Ben, dear sweet and gentle Ben had been there and she couldn't leave, because he wouldn't.

But now look at where they were. Lou was back, and had already claimed what she no longer felt was his. Ma had killed one of her own sons and was going to kill two innocent people and make them all guilty of murder. And Ben would do nothing. He was afraid, he'd said. Sarah sighed. So was she.

"Sarah?" Ben came in and stood behind her. His voice was sad and low. He didn't want the deaths of those two people any more than she did. "Ma says to hurry with the Marshal's breakfast."

"I… I am." She answered. "I… it…" She stopped and turned to look at him. "Ben this is wrong. Those two people haven't done anything to deserve this, especially not Miss Russell. She hasn't done anything wrong."

"I know." Ben answered, pulling her briefly into his arms. "I know, neither of them deserve this, but…"

"But what?" She questioned. Ben didn't answer but she didn't need him to. "Ben, Ma's gonna get us all killed or hung. Don't you see that? This is wrong, Ben. We oughta help those two."

"I…" Ben dropped his head. "I can't, Sarah. It's too late. I… I'm sorry." Knowing the look she would give him, Ben turned away rather than look at her. "I'll tell Ma that you're coming with the tray." Quickly he disappeared through the door, ashamed of his cowardice and wishing he was braver.

Sarah watched him go then turned back to the food. She was sorry too.

" _She offered us a start, you and me."_

Ben had told her about Miss Russell's offer if Ben would help them escape. It was obvious he wasn't going to. If anything, he was more frightened than she was. That meant she could either stand by and watch two people hang, who'd done nothing to deserve it, or…

Sarah quickly removed the pan of gravy from the fire and grabbed a plate. Loading the plate with biscuits and gravy and eggs, she then placed it on a tray and grabbed a cloth from the bottom drawer. The same drawer that held a spare pistol.

Sarah stared at the weapon for a moment, steeling her nerves to what she had to do. Finally, she pulled the pistol out, made sure it was loaded and then laid it on the tray, covering it and the food with a clean cloth.

"You got that lawman's food ready?" Mike suddenly appeared in the doorway, only a second after she'd hidden the gun.

"Ye… yes." She nodded. "I've got something on here, I think he'll like."

End _ **.**_


	24. The Way It Is

**Unshown Moments for The Way It Is- Season 8**

**This is for Evitascarlett.**

Kitty stood in front of her mirror, holding her new dress up in front of her, smiling at her reflection. She'd had the dress made for the Ford County Sociable and she was positive it would be the prettiest one there. As she studied her reflection, she hoped a certain cowboy would think it's owner was the prettiest woman there.

Grinning happily, she thought of the tall man that had taken her heart. He had promised steadfastly that unlike last year's sociable and Bessie Larcher's chivalry and Lily's wedding and their failed trip to Wichita, he would be there this year and happily escort her to the dance. She couldn't wait.

Twirling around, dress held against her, Kitty imagined it was Matt she was holding and they were finally together, in public, having fun. Laughing at her own childish glee, she finally stopped and placed the dress across the back of a chair just as a knock came at her door.

"Come in, Matt." She called happily. "It's open."

Matt came in with a smile, closing the door behind him before pulling her to him for a quick kiss. "You look awful happy." He grinned.

"I am happy." She grinned. "I have a new dress, a free evening and a handsome man in my room. What more could a woman want?"

Matt leaned down, kissing her again. "Oh, I don't know, lot of money? Maybe fine jewels or more perfume?"

Kitty chuckled. "Not even close. Nope, I have what I want, right here. And when we go to the Sociable…"

"Uh, about that." Matt sighed, stopping her before she could get too deep into it. "I'm not going to be able to go to the Sociable, liked we planned, Kitty."

Kitty stiffened; her smile disappeared. "Why?"

"Ah, I got a telegram just a little bit ago. I've got to go to Topeka." He answered, tossing it off as nothing. "But you don't have to worry, I've talked to Chester and Doc already. They'll be glad to escort you to the dance."

"Chester and Doc?" She bit her bottom lip to keep from saying what else came to mind.

"Yeah," Matt smiled brightly. He didn't see the impact that had on her. "You know they would love to take you. After all, it's not like they could get anyone else to go with them, anyway." He chuckled, thinking of his two friends but didn't notice she wasn't laughing with him.

"No, I guess not." Kitty turned away, anger warring with disappointed hurt to see which would show first.

"But you'll have a fine time." Matt went on, failing to notice her sudden silence. "I know I promised I'd take you, but… well, it can't be helped. When they call me to go, I have to go."

Kitty swallowed back the bile that rose to the back of her throat and kept her back to him, just not sure yet what to say or how to act that wouldn't get her arrested for murdering the very man that she wanted to be with.

"When did you find out?" She asked without turning around.

"This afternoon." He answered, finally noticing that her happy mood seemed to have deserted her. "Kitty? You alright?"

"Why, wouldn't I be?" She answered, fighting back tears. "I mean after all I have Doc and Chester to take me to the dance you're backing out on."

Just then, a loud knocking came at the door. "Mr. Dillon!" Chester's strident call could be heard on the other side of the door. "Mr. Dillon! You'd better come. There's trouble over to the Lady Gay."

Matt cast a regretful look at Kitty's back. "Kitty, I… I'm sorry. I know I promised to spend some time with you tonight and I know we need to talk about the dance and all but…"

"Mr. Dillon?"

"Coming, Chester." Matt yelled to his assistant as he looked over to Kitty. "Look, I'll go take care of this and then come back later. Okay?"

"Yeah." She finally answered and turned back to him, just barely managing to hide her hurt and anger. "You go on. Do what you need to."

Relieved that she was still talking to him, Matt smiled at her and then quickly left the room, following Chester down the hall and downstairs. He knew the news of his leaving before the dance wasn't what she wanted to hear, but he was sure she'd be alright. After all, it wasn't the first time and probably wouldn't be the last. Kitty understood that. Convincing himself that all was fine with her, Matt charged onto the Lady Gay to break up trouble.

It wasn't until Kitty heard the last of Matt and Chester's footsteps that she picked up a vase from the table by her bed and threw it as hard as she could at the door.

Early the next morning, Kitty rose from bed alone. Matt hadn't made it back to her the previous night which meant just one thing to her. Once again, his badge had come before her. Angrily, she got up and hastily got dressed.

She'd made arrangements with Moss the previous day to have her mare saddled and waiting for her this morning so that she could take a ride. She hadn't known, at the time, that Matt would be leaving before the dance but now that she did, she felt all the more need to get away from town and him for a while.

While getting ready to leave, all of the anger from the night before hit her full force and it was with that same anger that she loudly closed her door behind her, drank a glass of whiskey for breakfast and stormed out of the saloon, marching down to the stables. She truly didn't see Doc or Chester or hear them, as her senses were clouded by her fury.

It wasn't until she'd reached a point way out onto the prairie that her temper gave way to her pain and she let down her guard and cried.

End


	25. Uncle Finney

**Unshown Moments from Uncle Finney Season 14**

**Closer to and ATC**

**This is for LeighAnn**

"What does a man think about when he reaches 103?" Newly asked the elderly, napkin bedecked man sitting at the head of the table, celebrating his birthday.

Uncle Finney considered the thought. "What I think of? Well, young fella, what I think about…" He closed his eyes in thought. "What I think about…"

Opening his eyes, he looked meaningfully over at Kitty with a gleam in his eye, causing everyone sitting there to sit up in interest. "What I think about, is reaching a hundred and four."

As everyone laughed and the cake was cut, Uncle Finney closed his eyes again but he was not thinking about his age as those around him believed. No, Uncle Finney had something else, or more correctly, someone else entirely on his mind. The red haired, blue eyed woman who'd gone to such trouble to bake him a cake and throw him a party was what he was actually thinking about.

Such a pretty woman and smart and… and Uncle Finney opened his eyes and glanced back over at her as a piece of cake was placed in front of him. Quickly he diverted his eyes to the desert but his mind stayed where it was.

Later, after cake and punch had been consumed and Uncle Finney was more than tired, Doc volunteered to help the old gentleman over to the hotel, where Howie agreed to let him have a room for a couple of nights in honor of his birthday.

As they walked, Doc looked over at the older gentleman. "Want to tell me the truth?" He asked innocently.

Uncle Finney, who wasn't nearly as feeble or simple minded as he appeared, glanced around them and then back at Doc. "It wasn't my age." The old man confided with a wide grin.

Doc grinned. "Didn't think so."

END


	26. Kitty Caught

**Unshown Moments for Kitty Caught Season 3**

**This is for Guest**

**AN: This one was difficult. I didn't want to tread on ground that other, better writers have already walked and yet I wanted to do something that would fit into the episode, at least almost. I did my best, but please forgive me if it wasn't quite good enough. I have a couple of other, upcoming ones that I will probably say the same thing about.**

"Mr. Dillon I just hate the thought that Miss Kitty is in there with them two, all night." Chester was worried. He truly didn't want to see anything happen to Miss Kitty and with bandits such as these, it was entirely possible.

"They do anything to her, by… I'll tear their throats out." Matt wanted right then and there to go marching down to the shack and pull both men out and beat the living daylights out of them. But he knew it wouldn't work. Kitty would be killed instantly if he tried anything like that. Still it was tempting.

"Mr. Dillon?" Chester's voice was soft. "If we're gonna try and catch them two in the morning, don't ya think we oughta get some sleep?"

"You go ahead, Chester." Matt answered as he continued to stare at the old cabin. "I'm not that tired."

Inside the cabin, Kitty sat quietly next to the boarded up window, watching two brothers coming close to killing each other. The youngest one had made a move on her and then asked his brother for his share of the money when she'd rejected him. She supposed, he thought he could impress her with the stolen bank money.

The only thing that truly impressed her was that the two men hadn't actually shot each other. But they both calmed down and the younger one apologized, after promising to shoot her if she needed it. Kitty kept her silence, praying Matt was somewhere out there but knowing there was nothing he could do if he was.

After sending his brother to bed, Jed once again tried her, offering her coffee as a bribe. Kitty took the cup but only gave the contents the barest of consideration. Though she'd had nothing to eat or drink for more than a day, she wasn't about to trade her soul for it.

Barely blinking an eye, Kitty threw it in his face.

Angrily Jed grabbed her arm, pulling her to her feet and pulling his gun.

"You're not going to shoot me." Kitty said with certainty. "I stand between you and the law, remember?"

"I could still fetch you up, good." He threatened again.

"You just try it, Mister." Kitty narrowed her eyes at him but never looked away. "And I'll scratch your eyes out."

For several seconds, Jed stared at her. He had no doubts she meant what she said and though he was sure he could probably overpower her, there was something about the red headed spitfire that held him at bay at the same time she intrigued him. Finally, releasing her arm, he pushed back down on the bench.

"You sit there and just be quiet." He ordered.

"Or what?" Kitty snapped. "We've already established; you're not going to do anything to me? You're too afraid of the Marshal and me both."

"SHUT UP!" Jed growled and reached for her again but Kitty backed up.

"Just try it, Mister." She warned in a low feral voice.

Swallowing hard, Jed squared his shoulders and turned away, wiping the coffee off his face with his sleeve. For several seconds he said nothing but finally he turned back to her. "I get you out of that law man's territory and I'll do worse than then fetch you up. A whole lot worse."

Kitty met his hard stare evenly, knowing it best not to back down. "We'll see." She replied calmly. "You've not done it yet."

Outside, some distance from the cabin, Matt sat, intently watching the small, decrepit building, halfway wishing one of them would come outside and he could get a hold of him. But he knew if were to try anything, the one inside would kill Kitty. Besides, morning would be better for what he planned.

Never a man to shoot someone without giving them a chance, Matt knew that was exactly what he was going to do in this instance. Jed Gunter and his brother had proven they couldn't be given any chances. They'd kill Kitty if he tried. And that was one thing Matt was not about to see happen. If he had to kill an army of Gunters, he wasn't about to let her get hurt.

Glancing over at Chester, Matt saw that he'd already gone to sleep, leaving him to sit this vigil alone. But that was alright, he favored that. He needed to be free of Chester's constant chatter so that he could listen while he waited, ready to burst into the cabin should he hear anything that might mean they were harming Kitty.

Early the next morning, Kitty met the rising sun with something less than glee. She'd not dared to go to sleep the night before and so had sat up, staring out of the boarded up window, wondering just where Matt was. That he was out there, she had no doubts. She just didn't know exactly 'where' out there he was.

Jed, who'd stayed up half the night then woke his brother to stand guard the second half, walked into the main room of the old shack and sneered at her. "You have a good night?" He asked derisively.

Kitty cast him a glare, then returned her gaze to what lay just beyond the window without answer. She could've sworn that she saw something, or hopefully someone out there.

"You still looking for that lawman?" He goaded, still getting no reply. "Well, if you see him, kiss your sweet hide goodbye. He knows I'll do what I say."

Kitty continued to maintain her silence and to keep her back to him as he set about making a pot of coffee.

"You really think he might be out there?" Billy cast a concerned look out of the window.

"Naw." Jed shook his head. "He ain't out there. He knows better."

Kitty ignored him as she saw another flash and this time she was positive what, or more likely who it was. Forcing herself to remain emotionless and still, she betrayed nothing of Matt's presence outside.

"I'll fix something for breakfast." Billy volunteered but Jed shook his head. "Uh, huh. We need to get going. Just drink your coffee and we'll take off."

"Well, what about her?" Billy nodded at Kitty.

"I already told her, she gets nothing til she starts acting friendly. She ain't done it yet." Jed stared at her but received no response. "It's alright, Kitty." He smirked. "When you get hungry and thirsty enough, you'll be friendly to us. You'll be real friendly."

"Ain't you even gonna let her have some coffee?" Billy asked.

"No." Jed growled at his younger brother. "And if you don't hurry, you won't get it either. Now get a move on. Drink your coffee and then get packed up."

Kitty remained silent as she picked up her jacket and put it back on, buttoning it up. She didn't know what would happen when they got outside but she wanted to be ready for it.

As soon as the men drank a cup of coffee each, they rose, grabbed their ill-gotten money, and headed out of the door, pushing Kitty out ahead of them. "Go on." Jed snarled as shoved her hard towards the back, where the horses were stowed.

Kitty allowed him to push her and instinctively flattened herself against the side of the cabin, covering her head just as a shot came, then another, felling both of the outlaws. Kitty had just begun to look up when she noticed that Jed wasn't dead and was reaching for Matt's gun aiming to keep his promise to kill her with it. Another shot stopped that attempt.

Kitty looked up to see the most beautiful sight, she'd ever beheld. Matt was rushing to her. "Oh, Matt!" She cried. "Are they dead?" Now that the worst was over and Matt was there she was beginning to feel lightheaded.

"Yeah, Kitty." He answered as he took her into his arms. "They're dead."

"Good." She managed before the lights went out completely.

When Kitty awoke, she found herself back inside the ruined old cabin, a wet cloth on her forehead and Matt sitting beside her, a worried look on his face. "Ma… Matt?" She started to rise, but Matt gently held her down by the shoulders.

"Stay still, Kitty." He smiled, so happy to see her awake. "You just lay back there and rest. I don't reckon you got much of that yesterday or last night."

"No." Kitty answered. "I didn't. I… I was scared, Matt. I…"

"I know, Honey." He smiled. "I was too."

"You, Matt?" She'd known him for a while now and she'd never known him to be scared of anything.

"I was scared they'd hurt you before I could stop them. I was scared I might not see you again." Matt locked gazes with her, letting her know, silently that he meant what he was saying. "I couldn't bear the thought of that, Kitty."

Kitty reached up, caressing his face with a soft hand, before pulling him forward to her. But suddenly Chester could be heard at the door.

"Mr. Dillon, I got your saddle bags like ya told me."

"Alright, Chester." Matt shook his head, irritated at his assistants timing. "We're going to fix you something to eat and get you some coffee before we leave here." Matt looked back down at Kitty with a grin and a tease in his voice. "Can't have you fainting away again on us."

"I wouldn't mind, if you caught me again." She smiled back.

Matt's smile stayed in place but his teasing tone disappeared. "I will always try to be there to do just that, Kitty."

Kitty nodded, silently acknowledging what he wasn't saying out loud as he got up to help Chester. Matt Dillon loved her. Whether he ever said it publically or even to her, it didn't matter. He came for her not just because of his job, but because of his heart. The same one he'd given to her.

End


	27. Kitty Shot

** Unshown Moments for Kitty Shot Season 6 **

** This is for Mirschell **

Doc sat quietly beside his patient, occasionally checking her pulse and heart rate but always worrying.

Kitty had been shot two days prior in the back, a result of a drunk's poor aim. Matt hadn't even waited to see if she would live before he took off after the man who'd done it, leaving her care entirely in Doc's hands. Oh, he'd told Chester to help, but Doc knew that in an instance such as this, Chester couldn't help.

"Umm hummm mmmm." Kitty tossed her head, moaning and trying to roll over but Doc pressed her down by the shoulders. She'd stirred several times, never fully awakening but not completely asleep. Doc knew lying on her stomach probably wasn't that comfortable, but he couldn't let her roll over to her back, as she unconsciously wanted to. The wound was still too raw and she was too sick.

He'd been able to remove the bullet without further damage to her lung or surrounding tissues. But it had been a near thing and though it was minor she had now had a fever that could get worse should he let down his watch of her for one moment.

Doc looked up when he heard a sudden tapping at the front door. With a quick glance at Kitty, he rose and went into the outer office. It was Ma at the front door, bearing a basket, a bag of knitting and a smile.

"Doc?" She smiled sweetly at him as she entered. "How is she?"

"She's the same, Ma." He sighed. "I've done about all I can for her. It's up to her now." Looking down he spied the basket. "What do you have there?"

"I brought you something to eat and I want you to eat it and then go over there to your cot and get some rest while I sit with Kitty."

"No," Doc shook his head. "No, I'm fine, Ma. Besides, Kitty has a fever and I…"

"Oh, nonsense." Ma shoved the basket into his hands. "You just said; you've done all you can, which means it's time for you to take a break and get some rest. Now, I'm here and I'm just as capable of taking care of her as you are at this stage. I know how to tend a fever. So, go!"

Doc thought to argue further with her, but he knew it'd do no good. She was right about her capabilities and he was hungry and more than tired. "Thanks, Ma." He smiled at his old friend as he shuffled to his desk with the basket and Ma slipped into the room with Kitty, closing the door softly behind her.

After carefully checking on Kitty, Ma settled herself into a comfortable chair, next to the bed, and pulled out her knitting. But she'd just picked up the needles when Kitty stirred and begin trying to roll over. Quickly, she put aside her knitting and got up, moving over to the bed to calm the red head.

"Sssshh, Kitty. Calm down now, honey. It's okay. You're okay."

Kitty settled again but only for a few minutes and she struggled yet again.

Quickly, Ma rose from her chair a second time, soothing and talking sweetly as she checked her brow for fever. She did have a temperature but the injured woman had relaxed, so Ma again claimed her seat. But a mere half hour later, Kitty stirred once more.

"Oh, dear." Ma shook her head. She knew Doc was probably by now, getting some much needed sleep but if Kitty continued to struggle like this, she was afraid she'd have to wake him. But as soon as the thought crossed her mind, Kitty settled back, silent and still.

Ma checked her temperature again. It seemed to have risen. Deciding to forgo her knitting, she instead returned to her chair to watch and wait. She didn't have to wait long.

"You're here?" Kitty suddenly spoke, her soft voice held wonder and joy. "I'm so glad. I was worried. Yes. I'm okay, now."

Ma thought she was speaking to her and rose, patted her on the arm and watched Kitty press down into her pillow, close her eyes and return to sleep, only this time a little more peacefully.

Ma returned to her chair, cautiously eyeing the seriously ill woman but Kitty's restlessness of earlier seemed to be over and Ma felt she could now resume her knitting without interruption for a while. The next time she looked up, the weak light of predawn was coming through the window and Kitty was once more beginning to move around. Only this time, it was in wakefulness.

"Kitty?" She moved to the bed side, again checking her temperature, pleased to note there was no fever. "Kitty, its Ma. How do you feel?"

"Ma?" Kitty opened her eyes focusing on the older woman as she once again tried to move. "What are you doing here? Where's…"

"Doc's in the other room, Kitty." Ma soothed. "You just lie there and I'll get…'

"No." Kitty shook her head. "Matt. Where's Matt? He… he was here… a… a little bit… ago. Where is…he?" She pushed herself up and to her side, wincing at the pain in her wounded back. "Where… where is he?"

Ma sighed as she looked down at the younger woman. Though the marshal wasn't there and hadn't been for two days, Ma had an idea of what had happened.

"He's gone back, Kitty." Ma answered in the kindest of voices. "He only came for a short while to check on you and make sure you were okay."

"Gone?" Kitty took another look around the room, her confusion and pain plainly showing. "Is he coming back?"

Ma nodded with a sweetened smile. "He is honey. He'll be back long before you get out of this bed. Don't you worry. Okay? The Marshal will come back."

Accepting the answer, Kitty nodded and laid back down, a few moments later and she was asleep again.

Ma watched her for a couple of minutes, checked her temperature and then returned to her chair. She hadn't been surprised that Kitty thought Matt had been there. Not at all. Though she hadn't seen or heard or even felt him, she didn't need to. For it wasn't her that the Marshal had come to see.

Resting her head against the back of the chair, she let her mind return to when she was a young woman, sick abed, having just delivered her first child and suffering from the complications of it. Her husband was gone, conscripted into the army just before she discovered she was with child.

The doctor held very little hope that she would survive the blood loss and pain of her newborn son's birth and in her few lucid moments, she agreed. But that was before her husband made it home. She remembered waking to find him sitting beside her, her hand in his and a look of love like no other on his ruddy face.

"Don't give up on me." He'd told her. "I love you and I need you. You understand? Don't quit."

Knowing he was there and safe, she'd happily agreed and that night marked the beginning her recovery. Later when she was fully aware of her surroundings and just how sick she'd been, the doctor as well as her family had assured her that her husband had never come back and most likely wouldn't. They told her time and again that it'd been a hallucination.

But she knew better. He had come back to her when he sensed she needed him, just as she was sure, the Marshal had come for Kitty. No matter what it was called, the Marshal's heart had reached out to Kitty's. The connection made there, had made the difference for the red head.

A short time later, Doc shuffled into the room, silently making his way over to the bed to check his patient.

"You get enough rest, Doc?" Ma asked as Doc checked Kitty's vitals.

"Sure did, thank ya, Ma." Doc smiled over at her then nodded towards Kitty. "Looks like she did too. Her temperature is back down and she's resting peacefully. Your company must have been good for her, Ma."

Ma smiled enigmatically. "Well, she did have some good company, that's true."

End


	28. KLA (3)

**KLA (3)**

**This is for DodgeCityAngel**

Kitty carefully counted the bottles in the case and checked it against the figures on the clipboard she held. It seemed each time she took inventory it took longer and was more exasperating than the time before, but it was part of her business and it had to be done.

Once she'd confirmed that the contents matched her sheet, she turned, laid the clipboard down and turned again to move the crate only to find it already moved and a tall lawman standing next to where it had been.

"Matt!" She lightly scolded. "What are you doing here? Scared the wits out of me."

Matt chuckled. "Oh, I doubt that. You seem to have plenty of wits still about you."

Kitty shook her head with a smile at his teasing. "What are you doing here?" She asked again. "I thought you had to take some papers out to Jake Worth or something."

"Nope, I got Newly to do that for me." He smiled as he took a step closer and tentatively reached out, pulling her into his arms. It'd been three days since Will Stambridge had left on the stage and though the tenseness between them had eased, things still weren't where he wanted them and Kitty still seemed to hold herself back some.

Kitty looked up at him curiously. "Why?"

"Huh?" He frowned.

"Why did you send Newly when you usually do it and why did you come over here?" She patiently answered.

After Will had left town, she and Matt had gone over to the Long Branch and had their drink but little less. They knew they needed to talk but they couldn't seem to get to that point. Instead, they made polite chit chat and nodded at the patrons who greeted them, but little else.

They needed to make some changes and they both knew it, but so far, not too many changes had been made by either one. She'd gone back to her job as had he and to all who observed them, things were back to normal, which wasn't necessarily where either wanted them.

"Oh." He grinned, as he draped his arms around her and pulled her closer. "Well, I kinda had it in mind to take a certain woman, I know, out on a picnic and I couldn't do that if I was out of town. So I sent Newly out of town instead. Those papers weren't anything important. I have Festus watching over things in town. And as for why I came here….. Well, you are that certain woman."

Kitty looked up at him with a hint of surprise and more than a hint of consternation.

"I told you, Matt." She replied seriously. "You don't have to make anything up to me. In fact, I need to make some things up to you. I…"

"Stop right there." He shushed her. "This isn't about making things up for either of us. This is about resetting some things and perhaps restarting them." He studied her face intently. "I want to do this, Kitty. Will you let me?"

Kitty leaned up and kissed him seldom able to tell him no. "When do you want to go?"

"Right now." He smiled.

Kitty's surprise showed on her face as he led her out of the store room and out into the bar room, never letting go of her as they walked. When they reached the street outside, she was even more surprised to see her buggy waiting with a large hamper in back, a couple of fishing poles and a blanket all waiting in the boot.

"How long have you been planning this?" She asked curiously.

"A while." He admitted with a grin as he helped her up into the buggy and started it off in the direction of Spring Creek.

The drive there was quiet but pleasant. Neither one felt like talking and neither one wanted to disturb the peace that existed between them right then. Sitting back in the buggy, Kitty laid her head on Matt's shoulder and was happily rewarded when he moved his arm and draped it around her, pulling her even closer.

When they arrived, the silence continued as they climbed out of the buggy, spread the blanket and pulled down the hamper and poles. While Matt took care of the horse, Kitty pulled out the meal Matt had brought and was surprised that he'd included all of her favorite things to eat.

Questionably she looked up at him when he approached and sat down beside her. "I thought you said this wasn't about making anything up."

"Well." He shrugged with a grin. "I didn't say there wouldn't be any making up; just that it wasn't what this was about."

Kitty silently studied him while she fixed each of them a plate of food. "How do we start, Matt?" She finally asked with a sigh.

"Simply and slow." He answered, looking over at her. "I think we need to go back to the basics, Kitty. Back to just us."

"I thought that was what the trip to St. Louis was about." She answered softly. She truly didn't want to get into this all again, but Matt was right. They needed to get all of this out and dealt with. "We were going to reset things after Arizona."

Matt nodded. "It was and I let my job stop that from happening. I…"

"No, now, wait a minute, Matt." Kitty raised a hand to stop him. "I admit I was upset and hurt that you came back to Dodge instead of going on with me but I know it was your job and…"

"It was my job to show the woman I love that I love her." Matt reached over and took her hand, glad she didn't pull it away. "I did have to come back, Kitty. I didn't have a choice in the matter. But I didn't have to treat you the way I did. I acted like your feelings didn't matter. I said I understood but I what I understood was that my job needed me, not that you did too. I'm sorry about that."

Kitty studied their entwined hands silently. His was so powerful and yet so soft as it held hers. It was like them. He was strong and yet gentle, hard when needed and yet kind by nature. And her hand was so small and overwhelmed and yet protected within his as she was within in his arms.

Finally, she looked up at him. "I guess we both made mistakes, Matt. But I want you to know, I never set out to hurt you. But I was hurt. When you left the stage relay station, even though I refused to go back with you, it felt just like one more rejection. Like…"

"Like a closet full of dresses you couldn't wear anywhere because I was never there to take you anyplace." Matt finished for her.

"Yeah," Kitty took a deep a breath. "Like that." She dropped her head again. "I'm sorry, Matt. I know you didn't mean it to be like that. No more than I meant to flaunt Will in front of you, like I've heard some people say. Will offered me something, I thought I lacked. He was attentive and free with his time. He showed me affection in public and wasn't ever afraid to show his interest in me. And he was offering me a home and children and more than just a few memories."

She knew what she was saying was hurting Matt in a way, but it had to be said. "I know your reasons, Matt, for not giving me those things. And I've never questioned them before but I was just… just…" She stopped looking for the right word. "I was just wanting something I couldn't have, I guess. Something I'd given away the rights to a long time ago."

She looked up at him, making certain he understood. "When I agreed to be with you, I agreed to accept you as you were. I agreed to accept the fact that you didn't want to marry or have a family and I…"

"And yet you still thought that someday, some far off someday, I would change." Matt's voice held a sorrowful timbre she'd never heard before. "I'm sorry, Kitty. I wanted to be everything that you wanted me to be. I wanted to marry you and have a family but…"

"It's not in you." She sighed. "I guess, I've always known that. Just like I've always known that you love me but you held me separate from the other part of your life."

"I did." Matt agreed. "But not like you think. I held you closer and perhaps dearer but I'm afraid I didn't show you that too often.'

Moving over closer to her, Matt gently placed one hand on her shoulder and used the other to lift her chin so that they could meet, eye to eye. "I meant what I said, Kitty. I want to reset some things between us. I want what happened to me in Arizona and what happened here with Stambridge, to be put away and replaced with what happens between us. That is, if you want it."

Kitty mutely nodded as she threw her arms around him, holding him tightly, afraid to let him go. "I love you, Matt Dillon." She whispered in his ear. "No woman has ever loved a man like I love you. And I would do anything for you."

Matt lightly pushed her back and brushed away the tears that had started rolling down her cheeks. "The only thing I want you to do is forgive me and agree to give me a chance to make things right between us again. Will you do that?"

Kitty shook her head. "Nothing to forgive and we both need to make things right."

Matt pulled her back to him, wrapping his long arms around her and gently rocking her back and forth. "Then lets start now."

Late that evening, two contented, sated lovers, drove back into Dodge under a full moon and a haven of stars. They had talked, made love and talked some more and though their circumstances hadn't changed their mindset had to a degree.

Matt still didn't want to marry, Kitty still did but they accepted that about the other and found a way to work around it. It wasn't going to be easy or perfect and both knew that sooner or later they might come back to this place in the same shape as they were this day, but they decided to push that thought away. At least for the time being and hope for that far off someday.

END


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